US Eases Internet Export Rules To Iran, Sudan, Cuba

coondoggie writes "Looking to facilitate what it calls free speech rights in countries that don't look favorably at such liberties, the US government today said it would ease the regulations around exporting Internet-based applications to Iran, Sudan and Cuba. Specifically, the Treasury Department said it would add general licenses (PDF) authorizing the exportation of free, personal, Internet-based communications services – such as instant messaging, chat and email, and social networking – to those three countries. The amendments also allow the exportation of related software to Iran and Sudan, the department said in a release (the US Commerce Department controls software exports with Cuba). Until now all such exports would have broken federal laws."

What about instrumental piano CDs?

[MichaelCrawford]

For several years now I've been giving away free copies of my piano CD [geometricvisions.com]. I have received several requests from residents of Iran, and I would like very much to send them, but I haven't wanted to even try to figure out how to get approval from the Bureau of Export Administration.

It's not like my music is some kind of weapon.

You'd think that following the rules would just be a matter of looking up which countries are embargoed, but it's not that simple. In many cases it's not the country that's embargoed, it's specific individuals or organizations - in the case of Iran, it's the Revolutionary Guard, among others.

I'm pretty sure there's a procedure by which I could get a license, and I would be happy to go to all the trouble and expense that would be required. What I'm not looking forward to though is if and when I do get the required licenses, having to explain to the clerk at my post office that I have the permission of the Feral Gummint to mail my music to Persia.

Re:Eh?

[Anonymous Coward]

fuzzyfuzzyfungus, don't say "we". If you got in the way of oil profits, they would kill you, too.

Nothing better than trade

[drumcat]

Folks, nothing could be better than trading with your enemies. It has worked for millennia, and will continue to do so. Trade Iran's government into a needy, third-world leech. It's better than a war. Their people are magnificent, intelligent, and just like us in many cases. Hell, they even get all ideological, like Joel O'Steen and such. Let's trade some curry and hookahs for blue jeans, and call off the war, k?

free = gift (?)

[Comboman]

I would think that if your CDs are free, it's a gift and not really an export. I know many Cuban-Americans have been sending gifts to family in Cuba for years with no problems (at least, no problems on the US end).

Re:What about instrumental piano CDs?

[mcgrew]

It's not like my music is some kind of weapon.

Woodie Guthrie had a guitar that had written on it This machine kills facists [wikipedia.org] (larger photo here [wikimedia.org])