Hackers may get U.S. funds to fight China’s Web curbs

[roscoepico]

If some lawmakers in the U.S. get their way, freedom-promoting computer hackers soon may receive a bucketful of money to battle China’s Internet-censoring police.

[msnbc.com...]

[digitalghost]

While I'd love to cheer and say ,"Go Guys!", that plan could just ensure that China makes access to the internet more difficult, penalties for viewing "subversive" sites more severe and become the driving force behind a better monitoring system to catch "subversives".

Rather than spend 100 million dollars trying to combat censorship in this manner, wouldn't it make more sense just to stop trading with nations that violate what many consider to be basic human rights?

[EliteWeb]

(: mMmmmm hacking :P China has quite a bit of cencorship going on. Lots of odd cybercafes in the woods hiding.

[cminblues]

>>Rather than spend 100 million dollars trying to combat censorship in this manner, wouldn't it make more sense just to stop trading with nations that violate what many consider to be basic human rights?<<

Hehe..
Sure trading with China is > than 100M $$ :)

cminblues

[mivox]

Indeed. Wouldn't want to let something silly like one's principles get in the way when there's money to be made! :)

<added>So, given that there seems to be money to be made, who wants to teach me how to hack around Chinese censorship systems, lol... ;)</added>

[digitalghost]

If I didn't have the flu right now I'd have more energy to devote to this. :)

Just burns me that the U.S. still has China on the "most favored nations" trading list at the same time the talking heads "deplore" the nation's civil policies.

I was a participant in the TriangleBoy set-up, until I noticed traffic was halted then read that most users were CIA and FBI.

It's the attitudes and policies within the Chinese government that need to change. Spending 100 million on technology is a perfect example of throwing money at a sticky problem while doing very little to solve it. Eases the conscience and allows them to say, "we tried".

[Brett_Tabke]

Is there such a thing as an intellgent net conversation about politics?

It just don't happen in the US.

[digitalghost]

Well Brett, if you read the article, it is the U.S. that is throwing money at the problem. Can't really discuss Yemen's policy on China if Yemen isn't mentioned in the article.

The real issue is censorship. Hope they find a way to solve it, but I don't think 100 million will do the job.

[mivox]

Anyone with money will find something to throw it at... but lets drop the politics, and discuss the technological angle to this issue, if we're going to continue discussing it at all, 'kay?

Remember the rule... no politics in FOO.

[bird]

Since american corporations (primarily cisco, afaik) are making money building the chinese censoring infrastructure, there would certainly be more promising ways to circumvent its effectiveness than to throw money at a few hackers...

[weisinator]

Remember the rule... no politics in FOO.

We'll just say the whole thing (not saying what specific thing) bothers me. :)

[mivox]

"whole thing"... now that's a nice, non-political phrase to use. ;) (thanks!)