A regulatory fix (Updated)

The New York Times reports that under new regulations to be issued today, the government will no longer require U.S. companies to block free downloads of programs and software to users in Cuba and other sanctioned countries.

This is progress; the regulations are catching up to the Secretary of State’s speech on Internet freedom.

These regulations were particularly out of balance considering that under the Obama Administration’s rules governing gift parcels to Cuba, Americans (not just Cuban-Americans) can send laptops to Cubans as gifts with no restrictions on the software or programs loaded on them. But if a Cuban tried to download, U.S. regulations tried to block that. Until today, apparently. Earlier comment here.

Update: Tracey Eaton dug up the Treasury summary and the 21-page rule. Google’s reaction here.