Microsoft, Google, Yahoo and Vodafone are in talks with human rights and press freedom groups to assemble an Internet code of conduct to protect free speech and privacy of today's Web users.

The participating group announced that they aim to produce a code by the end of this year that would respond to trends such as the increased jailing of Internet journalists, monitoring of legitimate online activity, and censorship.

Talk is being led by the Washington based Center for Democracy and Technology and San Francisco's non-profit Business for Social Responsibility. They are trying to craft a code to hold companies answerable if they cooperate with governments to repress free speech or violate human rights.

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