US eases restrictions on Web services exports to Iran, Cuba

US eases restrictions on Web services exports to Iran, Cuba

arstechnica.com

The US Treasury Department today relaxed export regulations against Iran, Sudan, and Cuba, allowing US companies to provide instant messaging, e-mail, and social networking services to those countries. The goal is to ensure that citizens can "exercise their most basic rights," said Deputy Treasury Secretary Neal Wolin.

(visit the link for the full news article)


Related News Links:
www.ustreas.gov
www.federalregister.gov

I did not know that this was in effect.

The new policy provides a general license to tech companies. According to the official rule, they can now export "services incident to the exchange of personal communications over the Internet, such as instant messaging, chat and e-mail, social networking, sharing of photos and movies, Web browsing, and blogging, provided that such services are publicly available at no cost to the user."

This really has to be a joke right? Because I have seen people from those countries be part of social sites and I myself have used an "instant messenger" and spoken one on one with people from these countries at the job I had, I'm guessing while this was in effect, since it was just lifted.

My first thoughts is wow am I going to get slammed with something for not knowing I can not do internet business with these countries? ( specifically one )
From the time difference I had to do a lot of what I was doing from home. Are they going to try and get people like me for being a "Home Grown Terrorist"?

If this was in effect then why could my company (one I worked for) receive emails and chat to these places?



arstechnica.com
(visit the link for the full news article)