[Official: Porn filtering software 'not spyware']

Chinese officials rejected media reports on June 9 that claimed a kind of spy-ware will be installed on all computers to be sold in the country, in order to "manage and control" Internet users.

Pornography filtering software will be installed on all computers sold in China from July 1, the China Daily reported, but authorities in Beijing have promised the software is not complicated enough to act as spy-ware. [more>>]

["Green Dam-Youth Escort"]

The software, called "Green Dam-Youth Escort," targets online porn by preventing computers from accessing sites with pornographic pictures or language, Zhang Chenmin, general manager of Jinhui Computer System Engineering Co., told The Associated Press. Jinhui was compiling a database of the blocked sites.

"According to our surveys, many teenage students have become familiar with Internet pornography and they commonly share the addresses of pornographic Web sites with one another," Zhang said. [more>>]


[Anti-porn crackdown is urged in China]

Chinese netizens call for extension of anti-porn crackdown

Chinese netizens want to extend an anti-porn campaign to schools and campuses in an effort to protect young people from erotic materials. [more>>]



[Questions & Answers for China's porn filtering software]

Q: Will future fees lead to manufacturers passing increased costs to consumers?

A: Manufacturers can endure increased costs. [more>>]

Q: Will users be able to uninstall the web filtering software?

A: The software can be uninstalled by entering an administrative password. [more>>]


[Mixed reactions from netizens, experts and PC manufacturers]

Survey by Sohu.com

Do you think it violates the privacy of users?

Yes: 10,504 votes or 83.95 percent; No: 1,465 votes or 11.71 percent; Do not care: 544 votes or 4.34 percent

Do you think this software can be effective?

Yes: 1,445 votes or 11.55 percent; No: 9,312 votes or 74.42 percent; Hard to say: 1,756 votes or 14.03 percent

Are you willing to pay to use it after one year?

Yes: 310 votes or 2.48 percent; No: 11,754 votes or 93.93 percent; Cannot decide before using it: 449 votes or 3.59 percent

Web users question rules on mandatory filter software [more>>]


Expert: "Uniform installation of software should go through public hearings first" [more>>]

Net filtering software provider: It is just a commercial behavior and has nothing to do with the government [more>>]


Enter PD Online's forum, and express your idea. [Enter]


[The same efforts made in other countries]

Japan demands universal filter software

The Japanese government issued a new law to fight against the "unhealthy" websites on the Internet and to protect minors' online security just as the Chinese government is making great efforts to rectify the vulgar content on the Internet.

The act was promulgated jointly by the Japanese Prime Minister, the General Minister and Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, and formally implemented on April 1st this year. [more>>]

By People's Daily Online