Friday, August 14, 2009

DTN News: China TODAY August 14, 2009 ~ Chinese Say Parents Are Pleading For Internet Control

DTN News: China TODAY August 14, 2009 ~ Chinese Say Parents Are Pleading For Internet Control *Source: DTN News / Int'l Media (NSI News Source Info) BEIJING, China - August 14, 2009: Chinese officials have claimed they have seen tearful parents begging for the government to protect their children from obscenity on the Internet. China has dropped controversial plans to force PC makers to install internet filtering software on all new computers. Installation of the Green Dam/Youth Escort software was set to become mandatory from 1 July, but was not enforced after sparking local and international protest. At the time, China's ministry for information technology said the delay was to give PC makers more time to prepare. But now the ministry has announced that the internet filtering software is to be deployed only in schools, internet cafés and other public places, according to the Financial Times. The ministry said it would respect consumers' freedom of choice and would not force the installation on all PCs sold in China. In justifying their curbs on Internet access, theChinese government has closed hundreds of websites in an ongoing crackdown on online pornography and other content. Beijing has come down on media in the country prior to October's 60th anniversary of the founding of Communist China. Late June, the government backed down on a plan to require that filter software be pre-installed on all new computers to block supposedly pornographic or other vulgar content. But the Chinese government has insisted Internet bars and other public places have the software.

No comments: