Hello Rebecca Ward
Thanks for responding. I'm an engineer and entrepreneur, with limited knowledge of US laws regarding export of computational services to Cuba. Allow me to restate my question, and be more specific, because the answer you've provided isn't satisfactory to me. For example, I was not asking if there were any changes in the export laws. Here is my question broken down. a) Web applications hosted at mayor cloud services providers in US, such as amazon, or established US hosting providers such as rackspace, are available to Cuban users. I realize that google can't speak for other companies, but I'd like to highlight the fact that google isn't following current practice in this regard. Specifically, w hy google app engine applications are off limits to Cuban consumers, that is, which specific laws I would be violating by hosting a web site available to internet users in Cuba? b) The terms of service of app engine says "2.2. Your use of the Service must comply with all applicable laws, regulations and ordinances, including any laws regarding the export of data or software." Isn't compliance of US laws by web site owners as stated in TOS 2.2 sufficient enough? In other words, isn't the burden on us, web site owners, to comply with US laws? c) Panoramio is a regular application, such as the thousands of web applications hosted by app engine today, but Panoramio is available in Cuba. Can you explain why some app engine hosted web sites, such as panoramio, is available in Cuba, and other sites aren't. Thanks, I appreciate that google is taking it's time to respond to my requests. -- Ubaldo Huerta - Hide quoted text - Just sharing the response I got from google's legal team regarding accessibility of app engine apps in Cuba, and my reply (just a few minutes ago). The issue is important to me, and I hope that to others as well, hence my decision to share google's reply. My intention isn't to expose google, highlight discrepancies, etc but to get this issue resolved for 2 reasons. a) First and foremost, because I'm working on a new project that is partially aimed at Cuban users and I really dig app engine. Don't want to go back to general purpose hosting platforms, manage apache servers, database, etc b) I realize it's a long shot, but I feel a duty in doing what I can, as a citizen, on the larger issue of US/Cuba relations. It's bad enough all the restrictions imposed by Cuban government to internet users in Cuba to, on top of that, add restrictions by US companies / US government. Seems like us Cubans are always between a rock and a hard place. I'll also share here subsequent responses by google legal team if they're relevant. Ubaldo Huerta - I was born in Cuba, became naturalized US citizen thanks to US government policies to accept Cubans like me seeking political freedom and opportunities outside the island. On Thu, Mar 24, 2011 at 3:23 AM, Rebecca Ward <[email protected]> wrote: > Hello, Ubaldo, > Your email to me concerning App Engine in Cuba was passed on to me. You > asked: > > *I writing to you to request information about app engine restrictions in > Cuba, in particular, I'd like information as of why cuban users are denied > access to applications hosted in Google App Engine. I've posted the question > in the app engine group and a google employee has indicated that I should > direct my question to the legal team.* > * > * > *Here is the question posted in the app engine group: > https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/google-appengine/etXiZFceFUE/discussion > * > > US export law prohibits providing computational services to Cuba. Google > is a US based company and complies with US export laws. We are not aware of > any upcoming changes in the US government policy with respect to > computational services in Cuba. > > Sincerely, > > Rebecca Ward > Senior Product Counsel | Google Inc > . | -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Google App Engine" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/google-appengine?hl=en.
