China delays rule for Net-screening software
China has indefinitely delayed enforcement of a requirement that PC makers preinstall Green Dam-Youth Escort software that experts believe would have screened not just Internet pornography but also some online political content.
Green Dam allows users to specify categories of sites to block.
(Credit: University of Michigan)The reprieve, announced by China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, according to reports in The New York Times and the Associated Press, came just one day before the preinstallation rule was to go into effect.
But thus far the reprieve appears temporary: the ministry said the delay will give computer makers more time to comply with the rule, and the government also will continue to equip school and cybercafe computers with the software, according to the New York Times report.
Experts have warned that the Green Dam software poses security risks, and last week, the U.S. Trade Representative protested that Green Dam violates World Trade Organization rules
PC makers had been cagey about their plans to comply with the rule to install the software. Technical and other objections must be weighed against business concerns, and China is a large and growing market. Companies that deal directly with Internet content have been in the hot seat for years, and Google has had to wrestle with new Chinese censorship requirements this month.
Stephen Shankland writes about a wide range of technology and products, but has a particular focus on browsers and digital photography. He joined CNET News in 1998 and since then also has covered Google, Yahoo, servers, supercomputing, Linux and open-source software, and science. E-mail Stephen, or follow him on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/stshank. 
Australia is understood to be a liberal country, however has anyone noticed that they have recently banned on-line "games" like Second-Life for instance. Thismay also be the tip of the iceberg as their government seems to be on a crusade to restrict internet usage to "protect" it's citizens from the evils of the net. http://notallpoppies.wordpress.com/2009/06/25/australia-to-ban-second-life/
- by Michichael June 30, 2009 9:53 AM PDT
- Damn, here I was hoping to see the worlds largest botnet pop up on the 1st. Now I have to wait. >:|
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- by redmarine June 30, 2009 10:56 AM PDT
- Lets make it 10-30 days. Those sneaky internet users are fast.
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- by jake3373 June 30, 2009 4:33 PM PDT
- 3 hours
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- by fun2program8 July 2, 2009 6:48 AM PDT
- Assuming everyone runs Windows, it's only a matter of minutes? *starts another OS war* :)
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- by jake3373 July 5, 2009 3:25 PM PDT
- fun2program reminds me: Do they have a Mac or Linux version of this program?
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(6 Comments)Who wants to take bets on how fast China gets cut off from the rest of the world once their entire country is compromised?