First published: 30th June 2009
From July 1st, computer vendors in Mainland China will be required to install, or provide on CD-ROM, "Green Dam Youth Escort", a program claimed to block sites with pornographic content. The software is designed by Jinhui Computer System Engineering, which won a government tender for the project last year. The software detects pornographic images by comparing them to a database of sample porn. Bryan Zhang, the general manager of the company said that it blocks only sites with pornographic content, and parents can turn it off.
However, despite the reassurances, commentators have expressed concern that this is an extension of China's censorship of the internet. Speaking to the BBC, Charles Mok of the Internet Society speculated that the Chinese Government was getting worried by more sophisticated internet users bypassing the "Great Firewall" by using circumvention software. He argued that the specification of one particular software suggested censorship was the true aim; other jurisdictions such as France or Australia merely require ISPs to provide a choice of certified software.
Whether or not the software censors additional content at the moment, the fact that it prevents the use of proxies or other circumvention mechanisms would make it more difficult to bypass the "Great Firewall" when it is active. Having a large user-base dependant on a centrally-managed blocking list would allow the Chinese Government to quickly change which sites were accessible in future, perhaps in response to "sensitive dates".
Under the "One Country, Two Systems" policy, the legislation does not affect Hong Kong or Macau.
Updated: 12th June 2009
Bryan Zhang, the general manager of Jinhui, has said that his company's deal with the Chinese Government is just commercial, not linked with wider censorship, and the government wouldn't need to use his software to block access to non-pornographic content.
A report in Computerworld Hong Kong stated that, on 10th June, banned websites, such as those of Free Tibet and the Falun Gong spiritual movement, could still be accessed in China through a virtual private network with the porn filtering software running. This casts doubt on earlier reports, including ours above, that indicated Green Dam prevented the use of proxies and other circumvention mechanisms.
Phelim Kine, an Asia researcher for New York-based Human Rights Watch, said that the danger still exists that the program could be updated to block new content in the future. However, the reasons for thinking this is an attempt to increase Government censorship control look increasingly weak. Chinese computer buyers will get the software free, pre-installed with a one-year license, after that they will need to renew the license with Jinhui. There doesn't appear to be any barrier to uninstalling it, so, if a new update did start blocking sensitive sites, users could let the license lapse. The case looks more like genuine concern about pornography linked to an anti-competitive software deal.
Updated: 15th June 2009
This directly contradicts an earlier Computerworld Hong Kong report by the same reporter, Owen Fletcher, that said, "Web sites usually banned in the country, such as those of Free Tibet and the Falun Gong spiritual movement, could still be accessed in China through a virtual private network with the porn filtering software running on Wednesday." Mr Fletcher did not provide any possible explanations for the different findings, or even note that the difference with his earlier report existed. Bryan Zhang said that he was unaware Green Dam's keyword blacklist included non-pornographic terms.
Yui Kee's Chief Consultant commented, "The possibilities at the moment are confusing: who is attempting to smear who, or is it a comedy of errors? Further details about the tests would help - can the results be repeated? Perhaps the results reflect different testing methodologies - use of proxies or the precise terms used or sites visited. Maybe different versions of the blocklists were used, or the results vary according to location. Unfortunately, clearing up the confusion is not to the advantage of either Beijing, or Beijing's critics - everyone can believe what they want, according to their prejudices."
