Results tagged “greendam”

The saga of problems and setbacks that China has faced in attempting to implement the controversial Green Dam internet censorship software just keeps on going. After postponing the software's release indefinitely this summer, the government has attempted to find ways to censor the 'net without provoking massive public outrage. Which is funny, because the government is sneaking around trying to do things on the internet without anyone noticing, just like us!

Official media said yesterday that a recently released survey found that only 5% of youth were actually against the Green Dam, according to the SCMP. But take a look at the survey: 1,000 pupils around China, aged six to 13, were asked whether Green Dam Youth Escort was a good thing. Pollsters had to then explain to the kids what the internet, filtering software and pornography (aaawwwkwaaard) were. Of the respondants, only 14% actually offered a vote of support, most had no opinion since they're kids and this has nothing to do with anything kids care about. Of all the silly methods to try to win support for the wildly unpopular Green Dam initiative, this has to be the silliest.

We all knew it, but it's still nice to hear it coming from the top. Li Yizhong, Minister of industry and information technology, has admitted that the failed launch of that widely protested Green Dam Youth Escort was kind of a mistake. Li said that the order that went out sounded too much like the ministry was bullying people to install the program, but that had never been the government's intention. He then followed this up by saying that schools and internet cafes would still be required to install Green Dam on all computers... once the developers had improved the software's performance and closed all its security loopholes. Okay, so the fight isn't over yet, apparently. The one question we have: why are they bringing all this up again now? Source: SCMP

The planned protests against the Green Dam Youth Escort turned into celebrations on Wednesday, when Chinese authorities suddenly postponed their order of the infamous censorware program. In turn, Lots of young Chinese netizens gathered to turn their Green Dam anger into a feast.

Hurrah! China has decided to delay indefinitely its plans to force manufacturers to include that Green Dam Youth Escort software on new computers, just hours before the policy was supposed to start. Their reasoning: "Some businesses pointed out the heavy amount of work, time pressures and lack of preparation." The news comes days after various international organizations petitioned the Party, begging for it to rethink the regulations, and PC makers have said that they can't make the deadline. The plan had also engendered threats of violence towards the company responsible for the Green Dam software and huge Chinese netizen backlash. Its indefinite postponement is not only a victory for free speech, but also a victory for anyone who doesn't really want malware on their brand new computer.

In a surprising twist to the Green Dam software controversy, a direct letter was submitted on Friday to Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao asking the government to "reconsider implementing the Green Dam requirements".

• U.S. Objects to China’s Web Filtering [NYTimes.com] The Obama administration lodged a formal protest on Wednesday with the Chinese government over its plan to force all computers sold in China to come with software that blocks access to certain Web sites.
• Do China And India Really Want Stronger Intellectual Property? [Techdirt] "Over the past few months, I have been researching the role that intellectual property plays in China and India, with specific attention to the frequent calls for increased protection in those countries. I believe that a careful and critical review of national goals, potential solutions and likely outcomes will, in fact, make intellectual property harmonization a disagreeable mechanism for bringing China and India to continued global prestige."
• World of Warcraft Languishes Offline in China [PC World] "A weeks-long World of Warcraft server outage in China has driven masses of players there to the Taiwanese server or to other games while a new operator takes the reins of the Blizzard Entertainment blockbuster in China. A Blizzard representative Wednesday declined to estimate when World of Warcraft would come back online in China."
• China reclaims $4 billion of embezzled public money [International | Reuters] "China has recovered 26.77 billion yuan ($3.92 billion) of public money that was embezzled last year, the country's top audit official said in a report seen Thursday. Some 30 people involved in 116 cases had been arrested and sentenced, the official Xinhua news agency quoted Liu Jiayi, head of the National Audit Office, as saying. Another 117 received punishment according to Communist Party rules, Xinhua said, without elaborating."
Continue reading "Today´s Links: U.S. Objects to China´s Web Filtering, World of Warcraft Languishes Offline in China"

Jinhui Computer System Engineering Co. is now getting constantly harassed for creating the Green Dam Youth Escort filtering software that'll be distributed with all new computers next week. According to GM Zhang Chenmin, over 1000 harassing phone calls were made to the company this month, and one even threatened to kill his wife and child. "Most of the calls came late at night, cursing our staff and uttering obscenities, voicing their resentment against the software," Zhang was quoted as saying by Xinhua. Interesting way of lashing out, for sure, though we'd like to take this moment to remind Chinese netizens that, in the end, Jinhui is but a pawn in the far reaching CCP game of internet censorship. Source: Washington Post

Oh that troublesome Ai Weiwei! Not content to stick to taking subversive pictures around Tiananmen Square or investigating Sichuan Earthquake victims, he's now starting internet blackout protest days!

• Computer-makers fight China's filter order [SFGate] "Responding to another citizens' revolt, 4,000 miles from Tehran, China reportedly won't force individual computer users to install software to filter out "harmful" stuff. But it has not backed down on its order that, as of July 1, all PCs sold in China must have such software installed. That, as we've noted, puts No. 1 U.S. seller of PCs in China, Palo Alto's Hewlett-Packard Co., in a serious bind. Especially, as is now known, because the software can be used to block considerably more than "pornography.""
• Beijing Says 'Buy China' Directive Is Not Protectionist [VoA] "China is defending its so-called "Buy China" directive that gives Chinese companies first, and nearly exclusive, priority in winning contracts under the country's nearly $600 billion stimulus program. When the U.S. government debated adding a "Buy American" requirement to its stimulus bill, China protested loudly. Chinese officials called the move toxic and protectionist."
• Report on effects of Climate Change [Boston Examiner] "As Congress acts to enact a Climate Change bill, China is still seen as being unwilling to make carbon reductions. It would quite possible to have a carbon cap and trade program in place and then have the Senate not ratify the upcoming Copenhagen Protocol if China and India fail to enact law to reduce carbon emissions. The U.S. should lead by example and pave the way for developing countries to participate. Failure by the Senate to ratify the Copenhagen Protocol will send the wrong message to China, Brazil and India."

我想提醒你的是，这里是外交部的新闻发布厅，
不是讨论同性恋问题的场所。
What I'd like to remind you is this.This is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs press conference and not a forum for the discussion of gay issues.

Looks like public opinion against the Green Dam Youth Escort software, including the non-stop foreign media coverage and the numerous internet petitions, has finally convinced the government that maybe it shouldn't make the install mandatory. And good thing too:

So not only is the Green Dam firewall software filled with whopping security flaws, it now looks like it's not even original code. The Jinhui Computer System Engineering Company, creator of Green Dam, is now being accused of using stolen intellectual property from the American firm Solid Oak Software.

• James Fallows puts the spotlight on a writer currently quarantined in Shanghai, who is experiencing a nightmare of helpless frustration in the face of such illogical preventative measures (current Shanghaiist editors hope they won't be facing something similar on entry). [The Atlantic]
• Schools around Shanghai are now being ordered to equip computers with the Green Dam software, effectively guaranteeing that they'll be infected by malware. [Shanghai Daily]
• China Eastern and Shanghai Airlines might be merging soon, which means that over 50% of air travel in the city will soon be under one company. [Bloomberg]

Resistance is futile: they've already started installing Green Dam internet filtering software in schools. The censorware is, according to its proponents, help in the eternal battle against smut and other morally damaging materials. Although we have our doubts as to how many Chinese students really have the time to scour smut at school, we are old enough