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US concerned by PRC Web filtering

The US has expressed concern over a new rule that all computers sold in China be rigged with Internet filtering software, a US official said in Beijing yesterday amid fears for online freedom.

Computer makers have been told that all personal computers sold from July 1 must be shipped with anti-pornography software, a move that trade and rights groups say is a bid by Beijing to further tighten Internet controls.

“We had a preliminary meeting with the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology [MIIT] and the Ministry of Commerce on Friday to lay out our concerns,” said Richard Buangan, spokesman for the US embassy in Beijing.

With the world’s largest online population of nearly 300 million people, China has a history of blocking sites it deems politically unacceptable or offensive, a system that is dubbed the “Great firewall of China.”

Overseas and domestic Internet users have viewed the new software rule as an attempt by China to filter sensitive Web sites, but state-run press has defended it as necessary to prevent youngsters from accessing pornographic Web sites.

It has also pointed out that users can choose whether to load the software — called Green Dam Youth Escort — onto their computers or not.

Buangan would not comment on the exact content of the Friday meetings, but said the US was concerned for freedom of expression, including Internet freedom.

“We think that any attempt to restrict free flow of information is incompatible with China’s aspirations to build a modern, ­information-­based society,” he said.

The news came amid online calls for an Internet boycott on July 1 that are circulating widely on micro-blogging services Twitter and Fanfou, its Chinese equivalent, as well as blogs on popular web portal sina.com.

Netizens are urging people to stop all online activities that day, including Internet work, news, chat, blogs and games, and to refuse to receive or send e-mails “to make July 1 become Commemoration of the Internet day.”

Outspoken Beijing artist Ai Weiwei (艾未未), who helped design the landmark Olympic Bird’s Nest stadium but has become an increasingly vocal critic of the government, called on Web users to boycott use of the Internet on the day of Green Dam’s debut.

In a post on Twitter, Ai called for the low key protests to mark a day that is also the anniversary of the founding of the Chinese Communist Party.

“Stop any online activities, including working, reading, chatting, blogging, gaming and mailing,” Ai wrote in the Chinese-language post. “Don’t explain your behavior.”

Ai said he hoped the boycott would gather support because it offered an easy way to make a stand in a country where vocal opposition to government policy can be risky.

Initial criticism of the software in Chinese media has been muted in recent days, but the editor of the influential Caijing business magazine yesterday published a commentary slamming Green Dam as lacking validity and moral authority.

“In order to prevent the transmission on the Internet of violence, and of vulgar information that harms young people ... there must be some form of public authority backing up social rights,” Hu Shuli (胡舒立) wrote.

“But the help should be a kind of service, must not be coercive, and should have the acceptance of society. Otherwise ... it will certainly be thwarted,” she said.
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