Canadian tech company Netsweeper helped Bahrain censor websites, says report

Canadian technology company Netsweeper helpedthe Bahraini government block opposition party websites, variousnews websitesand content critical of Islam, according to a new report by the Citizen Lab at the University of Toronto's Munk School of Global Affairs.

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The report, released early this morningby the internet surveillance research group, says the Waterloo-based company won a tender in January to provide a website filtering system for the Bahraini government.

Ron Deibert, the director of the Citizen Lab, said his team carried out a number of tests, both remotely and with help from people inside Bahrain, to see if Netsweeper's filtering technology was being used there.

He said they were able to verify that the company's technology waspresent on several internet service providers in Bahrain in May and July.

"There's no doubt whatsoever that Netsweeper is being rolled out across the country of Bahrain," he said.

A filtering system can block any content that its administrators choose it's commonly used in schools and libraries to restrict access to a wide range of websites.

• Read the full Citizen Lab report here

ButDeibertsaid he's raising the alarm becausethey found that the country is blocking access to a long list of websites that are critical of the government, includingseveral media websites, sites affiliated with opposition groups, human rights and advocacy organizations, atheism websites, as well as pornography and gambling websites.

"Bahrain is one of the world's most autocratic countries," said Deibert. "There are major human rights violations in the country that will be further aggravated by implementing national-level internet censorship of this sort."

The United Nations considers the restriction of this kind ofinformation to bea violation ofthe fundamental right to freedom of expression.

Corporate responsibility

Deibertsaid his reportalso raises questions about corporate responsibility: Is Netsweeper benefiting financially by helping a country trample human rights?

"The fact that the company is located in Canada obviously puts them at odds with our country'sposition on human rights internationally," saidDeibert.

Netsweeper's Chief Operations Officer Alain Gagne did not return CBC's request for a comment.

The company willsoon participatein an international trade show in Dubai, calledGITEX Technology Week. The Canadian government's Trade Commissioner Service, which falls under Global Affairs Canada, is promoting the event.

In an emailed statement to CBC News,Global Affairs Canada said it supports the promotion of human rights and free speech online.

"We expect Canadian businesses to operate lawfully and according to Canadian values.We cannot comment on services provided to specific businesses due to commercial confidentiality," the organization said.

In another report by the Citizen Lab,Deibertsaid Netsweeper has previously provided the government of Yemen with website-blocking technology.

In January, several months after the Citizen Lab released its Yemen report, Netsweeper filed a defamation suit against the group and the University of Toronto. However, it discontinued the suit in April.

Deibertsaid that it was only after the suit was dropped that his group felt comfortable publishing theBahrain report.

Unrest since 2011

Bahrain, ruled by a Sunni monarchy, has seen several years of unrest after a failed anti-government, pro-democracy uprisingin 2011.

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According to the New York Times, the country's rulers have revoked citizenship ofShialeaders and other citizens who are critical of them. The Times says the country'spolice and security agencies have reputations ofusing excessive force.

In June, the country suspended all activities by the AlWefaqNational Islamic Society, the country's leadingShiaopposition group.

The Citizen Lab's report found that AlWefaq'swebsiteswere among those that were blocked.

In August, the UNurged the country to end what it called the "systematic harassment of theShiapopulation."