Three of the biggest names on the internet have joined in an effort to end censorship on the web.

Microsoft, Google and Yahoo are spearheading the creation of a group known as the Global Network Initiative. The aim of the project will be to lobby governments and telcos to protect free speech and combat censorship.

The new project will link companies and non-profit groups with volunteers and investors to put pressure on authorities to end oppressive web censorship policies and user surveillance programmes.

The launch of the project coincides with the 60th anniversary of the UN's landmark Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The group hopes that the new campaign will lead to a similar set of principles on the rights of all web users.

The project will hold special significance for the likes of Google, Yahoo and Microsoft, who often have to negotiate with authoritarian governments to gain access to emerging markets.

Yahoo and Google have both come under heavy fire in the past for their dealings with the Chinese government in regards to censorship and user surveillance.

"Yahoo was founded on the belief that promoting access to information can enrich people's lives, and the principles we unveil today reflect our determination that our actions match our values around the world," said Yahoo chief executive Jerry Yang.

"These principles provide a valuable roadmap for companies like Yahoo operating in markets where freedom of expression and privacy are unfairly restricted. Through the collective efforts of industry, advocates, and government, we will continue to see technology and the internet as a way to improve people's lives."