Last Major PC Makers Ditch Chinese Web Filter

From PC World: Some of the few PC makers who offered a controversial Web filtering program mandated by China have reversed those plans, dealing the latest blow to China's efforts to deploy the software nationwide.

Lenovo, Acer and Sony have all stopped bundling the program, named Green Dam Youth Escort, with PCs sold in China, the companies said. The companies were among the few that went ahead with plans to distribute the software after China softened its order for PC makers to do so.

In another sign of fading enforcement, at least one Chinese high school has removed Green Dam from its computers after the software caused "severe conflicts" with programs used for roll and grading.

China originally ordered PC makers to start bundling Green Dam with all computers sold in the country by July to battle Internet pornography, but it postponed the deadline under pressure from foreign PC vendors and the U.S. government. China last month took another step back when it said it would not require mass installation of the program by consumers. But the country still said installation would be required for computers in public schools, Internet cafes and other public places.

China has said the software, which turned out to filter sensitive political content online in addition to pornography, was meant to protect children.

View: Article @ Source Site