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The move will give the government unprecedented control over what can and cannot be seen on the internet. In recent weeks, China blocked access to a host of websites, including Hotmail and Twitter, and expressed worries that the internet was becoming a tool of protest.
An issue of the state-controlled magazine, Outlook Weekly, strongly criticised local officials for not paying more attention to the internet, saying that online debate forums in China are not just “ordinary chit chat in free time” but could also be stirring trouble…
The program, called Green Dam, is designed primarily to stop access to pornography, according to its makers, Jinhui Computer System Engineering company. “From July 1, every PC will be shipped with the software before it is sold to customers,” said a member of the company’s marketing department, who identified herself only as Miss Zhou.
“This is very good news for users, so they should not uninstall it. It will automatically filter pornographic images and antirevolutionary content. It will not take up much space on the hard drive. It is very stable and we have conducted many tests already,” she added.
A second program, called Youth Escort, filters out rude or subversive words.
If the two programs are installed, they can allegedly transmit personal information and make it difficult for users to tell what access is being denied.
Under the terms of the new rules, manufacturers can also ship the programme on a separate disc, but have to report how many units have been sold together with Green Dam.
Of course, you needn’t wear a tinfoil hat to believe the tale that some software producers already collaborate with the FBI and CIA and provide a backdoor for spying on ordinary citizens. After all, most of our Telcos and Internet providers have already been proven to roll over for the Feds – and Congress passed laws protecting them from lawsuits over such an invasion of privacy.
China just appears to be barging ahead in a manner suited to their administrative style. We’re more democratic in the West. Our government allows discussion – before they screw us, anyway.
🙂 Funny, seeing those guys in colored body suits makes me wonder if thats supposed to be the ‘new’ China??
Since this is also the land of ‘let a thousand flowers bloom’…I’m wondering if they will then go after anyone who uninstalls the program. Will you get a visit from the local Party Officer?
(which makes me wonder what happens if you’re upgrading your hardrive or needing to reinstall your OS. 🙂 )
#1 with there one child per couple policy and china’s preference for having a male child, there will be lots of these guys wondering the streets of china very soon..
🙂
#3
There already are! And the rules apply to the common POOR folks, not to people with money.
Great!
The more China steps back from the Internet, the less informed, the less relevant, and the less powerful they become. We should welcome such backward tactics. Imagine if Germany of the 1930’s disavowed electricity or mass production. Or more to the point, imagine if they ignored the advances in physics at the time. They would NEVER have even STARTED their nuclear program. (Which most people never heard about.)
I does sound like China’s just acting slightly less democratically than the US Congress on individual rights.
Read that sentence again and either laugh or cry for its implications.
We support communism by buying their products and then are appalled when they exercise their rights as a country. At least they are consistent in their policies.
#5 faxon,
“The more China steps back from the Internet, the less informed, the less relevant, and the less powerful they become.”
You do realize that virtually all computers are made in China?
If I were one of those Bible thumpers plaguing the Republican Party I’d be extremely envious.
It’s none of our business what they do…the US record on human rights is a thousand times worse….the Chinese don’t randomly invade countries just to boost the Vice President’s buddies’ portfolios. And they’ve never nuked anyone.
Until the Chinese have a ruler as bad as George W. Bush, we Americans have no right to comment on or criticize anything they do.
#10 ?
#11?
I’m sure that was meant to be an insightful comment, but I’m too dense to get it.
Did they mean to spell inspire wrong on the banner?
Maybe it’s a way to curb the Chinese population… perhaps the government figures if their people don’t see porn, then they won’t want to try it out on each other and potentially create another mouth to feed. Or house. Or employ.