China to require software on PCs to block sites

[bill]

China to require software on PCs to block sites [reuters.com]

The Chinese government has required that personal computer makers bundle software that filters Internet content from July 1, raising concerns over cyber-security as well as Internet freedoms.

The free "Green Dam-Youth Escort" software, developed by Jinhui Computer System Engineering Co, can effectively filter "unhealthy words and images," according to a Ministry of Industry and Information Technology document seen by Reuters.

Foreign computer makers are now caught between maintaining access to their fastest-growing major market, and concerns the mandatory software will make their products vulnerable to security breaches as well as potential malfunctions.

[tangor]

Next step: manage list to include other sites not acceptable, too. Hope it remains a software fix since a large percentage of the world's computers come from China that a CHIP LEVEL solution would not be welcome by your's truly...

[bill]

Well, they're claiming it's simply an anti-#*$! software measure, but it's easy to imagine how this could go a lot further.

[tangor]

The Brits and Aussies have both played with similar measures and been caught out listing sites not related to the auspices of the original intent. Why should it be different in other countries?

[engine]

China's Web Filter Plans Clarified [news.bbc.co.uk]

From July, every PC sold in China was supposed to be supplied with the Green Dam Youth Escort software.

The software was created to stop people looking at "offensive" content such as #*$!ographic or violent websites.

But widespread disapproval inside China, legal challenges and overseas criticism have forced the Chinese government to clarify its policy.

"The use of this software is not compulsory," an official with China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) told the AP news wire.

Earlier story

Countering China's Internet Censors [webmasterworld.com]

[edited by: Woz at 1:10 am (utc) on June 19, 2009]
[edit reason] Splicing & Tidying Up [/edit]

[bill]

They keep mentioning that the software is not mandatory and that it can be uninstalled. However, it has to be included in every PC sold. Sounds a bit fishy to me.

[StoutFiles]

Is there anyway to know if your site is blocked in a particular country?

[bill]

Is there anyway to know if your site is blocked in a particular country?

Ask people in the country to access your site and see whether they can reach it. They don't normally publish blacklists publicly.

Here's a thread that might be of interest: Is my site blocked by the Great Firewall of China? [webmasterworld.com]

---

Does anyone know where we could get a copy of this software? I'd love to throw it on a Chinese version of Windows to see what it blocks.