§ 542.511 Exportation of certain services incident to Internet-based communications authorized.

(a) To the extent that such transactions are not exempt from the prohibitions of this part, and except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, the exportation from the United States or by U.S. persons, wherever located, to persons in Syria of services incident to the exchange of personal communications over the Internet, such as instant messaging, chat and email, social networking, sharing of photos and movies, web browsing, and blogging, is authorized, provided that such services are publicly available at no cost to the user.

(b) This section does not authorize:

(1) The direct or indirect exportation of services with knowledge or reason to know that such services are intended for the Government of Syria or any other person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to § 542.201(a);

(2) The direct or indirect exportation of Internet connectivity services or telecommunications transmission facilities (such as satellite or terrestrial network connectivity);

(3) The direct or indirect exportation of web-hosting services that are for purposes other than personal communications (e.g., web-hosting services for commercial endeavors) or of domain name registration services; or

(4) The direct or indirect exportation of any items to Syria.

(c) Specific licenses may be issued on a case-by-case basis for the exportation of other, including fee-based, services incident to the sharing of information over the Internet.