Corporate Censorship

What do Danish cartoons of Mohammed, GQ’s axing of Scott Anderson’s Russia article, and Google’s burying of Tiananmen have in common?  Here’s what Anne Applebaum sees in her Washington Post column:

Nevertheless, the three stories lead to one conclusion: In different ways, the Russian government, the Chinese government and unnamed Islamic terrorists are now capable of placing de facto controls on American companies — something that would have been unthinkable a decade ago. In a world that seems more dangerous and less profitable than it did in the past, either greed or fear proved stronger than these companies’ commitment to free speech. (…)

There is no law or edict that can force these companies, or any American company, to abide by the principles of free speech abroad. But at least it is possible to embarrass them at home. Hence this column.