The leading US-based Internet companies are showing little interest in attending a Congressional briefing on worries that the firms are bending to the wishes of China's censors.

We have heard from Microsoft that no representative from the company will attend the briefing. So, with Cisco Systems, this makes two companies that have confirmed they're opting out," Lynne Weil, spokeswoman for caucus co-chairman Democratic Representative Tom Lantos told AFP.

As the briefing date gets closer, "others are still unfortunately keeping us in suspense," she said. "It is mystifying why these companies would not want to take part after all this is an opportunity to clear their names," Weil said.

"It is a sham that the American Internet firms are refusing to be accountable to US Congress and at the same time working hand in glove with the Chinese authorities," said T. Kumar, Amnesty's advocacy director for Asia.

"It is also a paradox that while US multinational companies are for example prohibited from doing any business or trade with Myanmar following human rights sanctions there, Google and others are colluding with the Chinese government in human rights abuses," he charged.

The reasoning behind this paradox is simple, Myanmar doesn't have China's economic growth. These companies know damn well that a large portion of their future growth is dependent on being involved with China's "economic miracle".

This unwillingness by major Internet companies to be involved in Congressional activities pertaining to human rights issues should result in less government sales, contracts, or something that hurts them in the pocket. This would not provide much leverage with Google or Yahoo, but it certainly would with Cisco and Microsoft. However, I doubt the legislature has the balls to do it.