Technology giants to draw up Internet code of conduct

Technology companies Microsoft, Google, Yahoo and Vodafone are in talks with human rights groups to draw up an Internet code of conduct to protect users' free speech and privacy.

The parties say they aim to produce a code by the end of the year that would counter such trends as the increased jailing of Internet journalists, monitoring of legitimate online activity and censorship.

The Committee to Protect Journalists says the spotlight has been put on Internet companies after arrests in China of Internet writers, such as Shi Tao, who was jailed for 10 years for leaking state secrets abroad.

Rights groups have accused Yahoo of helping China trace his email exchanges with a New York-based news website.