China Delays Plans to Filter Internet

  China’s communist government is yet again receiving strong criticism from human rights organizations worldwide.  This time, the organizations are fuming over the plan that China had to require all personal computer makers to supply Internet-filtering software.  For now at least, the human rights groups can count this as a victory, as China has officially announced plans to postpone their controversial web filter.

  This web-filter rule would have ordered all computers produced for sales to have the filter.  The short announcement by the Chinese government simply said that the plan is delayed, giving no further details about when it might take effect if at all.

  The Chinese government claims that the web-filter was to be put in place in an effort to protect children from illegal pornographic and violent images.  Critics feel their intentions were very different.  Computer technology experts stated that the software, called Green Dam, also included code to filter out political materials that the Chinese government may dislike.  An uproar of concerns about freedom of speech, free flow of information rights and user choice came from global business groups and advocacy groups around the globe.

  U.S. diplomats met with Chinese officials to express concern about the plan and also signed the now well known letter of appeal to the Chinese government.

  This letter of appeal, signed by American, European and Japanese Chambers of Commerce along with the U.S. National Association of Manufacturers demanded an immediate abortion of the web-filter plan.  This type of direct demand towards the Chinese government has been unusual in the past.

  Google, Inc.  the American owned web search engine also criticized China for their attempts to filter the web.  The Chinese government and Google’s relationship was already tense due to the government blocking the Chinese language version of what they called Google’s pornographic and vulgar sites from opening.  This caused millions of complaints by Chinese web users to Google for poor service.

  Freedom of speech and gay rights advocates publicly attacked the plan claiming it is censorship.    U.S. trade officials protested the plan as a possible trade barrier and issued concerns about potential security issues caused by the filter.   Chinese web surfers also protested the software signing petitions and demanding the government to abandon the filter plan.   The Green Dam plan coincides with an overall tightening of government controls on internet use.  Green Dam is already in use in most internet cafes throughout the country.  Chinese officials encourage Internet use for education and business, but routinely try to block access to material deemed obscene.  In addition, Green Dam software has already been installed on any computers purchased through a government program that subsidizes appliance sales.  Also, in recent weeks, the Chinese Health Ministry has ordered health-related Web sites that carry research on sexually oriented topics to be restricted, allowing access only to medical professionals.  Each of these limits on Internet use has been widely criticized.

  There has been no response by the Chinese government in response to the criticism.

Discussion Questions:

-How would you feel if the government censored your use of the Internet?

-What are some ways you could responsibly protest an action taken by your government?

-Do you think the Green Dam software violates freedom of speech or other rights?  Why or why not?