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Vietnam to Try New Internet Blocking Service

Posted on: Tuesday, 20 May 2008, 09:00 CDT

Text of report in English by Vietnamese news agency VNA website

[Unattributed article from the "Society" page: "Network webfiltering arrives"]

Hanoi (VNA) -Vietnam will soon have its first network-level webfiltering service to help parents prevent children from accessing adult or objectionable internet content.

DTS Corporation, Plantynet and Vietnam Datacommunication Company (VDC) have signed a memorandum of understanding under which they will offer the so-called Green internet services starting in November of this year, according to VDC, the nation's leading internet service provider (ISP).

The service will enable users to block website containing pornographic, violent or other objectionable content by blocking access to sites both inside and outside Vietnam at the level of the ISP network with a blocking rate of 99 per cent.

Network-based webfiltering, said VDC, would overcome shortfalls of other methods such as keyword-based webfiltering software installed directly on the user's computer.

"Harmful websites have had a significant negative influence on society and culture," said VDC general director Vu Hoang Lien. "Both Government and parents have spent a lot of effort trying to alleviate this adverse impact. The introduction of the Green internet service is our commitment to families and society to keep the internet environment green for our next generation."

DTS chairman and general director Vuong Manh Son said the advantage of the service was that there was no way for users to disable the web blocking function, relieving parents from concerns over their own limited computer skills and knowledge to manage their children's activities in this area.

Son said the Green service has already achieved success in the Republic of Korea , China and Taiwan .

"With similarities in culture and moral value, we believe that this service will be welcomed in Vietnam ," said Son. He said the service would also help minimize threats from viruses and spyware.

According to the Vietnam Internet Network Information Centre, Vietnam currently has 19.5 million internet users, 5.6 million of whom are internet service subscribers.

Originally published by VNA news agency website, Hanoi, in English 19 May 08.

(c) 2008 BBC Monitoring Asia Pacific. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.

Source: BBC Monitoring Asia Pacific

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