China Requires Censoring Software on New PCs
BEIJING — China has issued a sweeping directive requiring all personal computers sold in the country to include sophisticated software that can filter out pornography and other “unhealthy information” from the Internet.
The software, which manufacturers must install on all new PC’s starting July 1, allows the government to update computers regularly with an ever-changing list of banned Web sites.
The rules, issued last month, ratchet up Internet restrictions already among the most stringent in the world. China regularly blocks Web sites that discuss the Dalai Lama, the 1989 crackdown on Tiananmen Square protesters, and the Falun Gong, the banned spiritual movement. But free-speech advocates say they fear the new software could make it even more difficult for China’s 300 million Internet users to access uncensored news and information.
As Charles Mok put it, “This is a very bad thing—It’s like downloading spyware onto your computer, but the government is the spy.”
China is headed in a devistatingly non-citizen (human?) friendly direction. I can’t imagine living under the restraints those people experience. And furthermore, “even beyond ethical concerns, those who have tested the new software describe it as technically flawed.” Beautiful. All the characters of Braveheart are likely to be very proud. FREEEEEDOM!!!!!!
