China’s Mandated Filtering Software Raises Concerns
Starting next month, the Chinese government will be requiring that the Green Dam Youth Escort filtering software be installed on all computers.
Many citizens have been outspoken in their criticism of the government mandate.
China says the software is being implemented in order to filter out violent and pornographic material from the Web.
Chinese state media has launched a series of reports aimed at bolstering the new screening software.
According to the Associated Press, state broadcaster CCTV backed the initiative, claiming that a "vast number of parents and experts" had endorsed the "Green Dam-Youth Escort" filtering software.
Additionally, Communist Party newspaper Guangming Daily followed suit with a similar report stating that the software would support the goal of "civilized Internet management and access."
The government is requiring all computer manufacturers to either pre-install or include an installation disc with all new PCs starting July 1.
"This administrative action lacks a legal basis," said Li Fangping, a Beijing human rights advocate.
Li is urging the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology to allow hearings on the “lawfulness and reasonableness" of the new software mandate.
"Designating that the same software must be installed in all computers affects citizens’ rights to choose," said Li.
"Above all, we’re concerned about freedom of speech and the right to know," he said. "We know that citizens have been prosecuted because of their private emails, and we’re worried about more such cases."
In addition to human rights claims, other experts claim the software contains a set of serious security flaws.
"We found a series of software flaws," Isaac Mao, a blogger and social entrepreneur in China, as well as a research fellow at Harvard University’s Berkman Center for Internet and Society, told BBC News.
Mao said tests on the communications between the software and the servers at the company that developed the program were unencrypted, which could allow hackers to "steal people’s private information" or "place malicious script" on computer networks.
"Once you’ve got government-mandated software installed on each machine, the software has the keys to the kingdom – anything can be logged or affected," said Professor Jonathan Zittrain, also of Harvard’s Berkman Center.
Chinese officials told reporters that the software is to be used solely for the protection from offensive material on the Web.
"If you have children or are expecting a child you could understand the concerns of the parents over unhealthy online content," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang said Tuesday.