Ethics v opportunity: Google reopens the China debate

January 14th, 2010

Google’s announcement that its can no longer ignore free speech concerns in China puts other technology companies in the spotlight says Cynthia Wong
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China scales back Green Dam plans

August 13th, 2009

China has scaled back its plans to install controversial net filtering software, “Green Dam Youth Escort” on its citizens’ computers. The government has now said that citizens can choose whether they use the program, although installations on public computers will still go ahead. Read more here

China’s Green Dam will go ahead say officials

July 2nd, 2009

China’s controversial plan to install Green Dam internet filtering software on all computers will go ahead despite previous postponements, a government official told state media today saying it was only “a matter of time” until the software was installed. Meanwhile the Telepragh has reported that Green Dam has already been downloaded three million times since the end of March and has been installed on 518,000 computers. Read more here

China web censorship controversy continues

June 23rd, 2009

China has confirmed it will continue with plans to force every computer in the country to run controversial filtering program Green Dam. The move follows news that Google have agreed to filter search results in China to screen out pornographic or explicit material. In a Twitter posting, prominent blogger Ai Weiwei appealed for an Internet boycott on the softwares launch in July, the same day of the anniversary to mark founding of the Chinese Communist Party. Read more here

US lodges China complaint over web censorship

June 22nd, 2009

An official complaint was lodged by US representatives with the Chinese government over plans to introduce mandatory Green Dam web censorship software. Read more here

China holds firm on Green Dam software filter

June 19th, 2009

American computer makers say the Chinese government has not backed down from a requirement that Internet censorship software be preinstalled on all computers sold in China after July 1, despite reports this week that the rule had been relaxed. Read more here

China backs down on Green Dam

June 17th, 2009

The Chinese government appears to have backed down in the face of public opposition to its plans for mandatory installation of Green Dam Youth Escort on all new computers. The software restricting access to pornography and politically sensitive websites was due to be compulsorily incorporated in the hard drives of all new machines sold after 1 July, but state-run media has announced that it will instead be an optional package. Read more here

China defends screening software

June 10th, 2009

China has defended the use of new screening software that has to be installed on all computers saying its purpose is to filter out pornographic and violent material. Read more here