Partial Victory Over Chinese Censorship

Nicholas Hamisevicz / August 17, 2009

Li Yizhong, China’s Minister of Industry and Information Technology, announced that companies will not be required to install the Green Dam Youth Escort web filter onto their computers sold in China. This is a retraction from the original policy declared earlier this year forcing companies to include the software, which was quickly discovered to block politically sensitive material as well as material inappropriate for children. Like all victories against the Great Firewall, this one was partial.

The reversal occurred due to diverse, strong opposition to Green Dam software. Ron Kirk, U.S. Trade Representative, and Gary Locke, U.S. Secretary of Commerce, sent a letter to Li and Chen Deming, Minister of Commerce, reminding China of its WTO obligations. The American Chamber of Commerce, individual businesses, and media all voiced their concern. A claim that the software was stolen and work by software researchers finding computer security gaps in the program added to the outcry. (more…)