China Jumps To Its Own Defence Over Monitoring Software: Green Dam Youth Escort

The People’s Republic of China has immediately jumped to its defense after insisting that every computer computer purchased in China, as well as all those imported from other countries, must have the Green Dam Youth Escort software installed on it so the government can monitor and prevent the use of inappropriate material such as pornography. However, some claim that China are simply enforcing this so that they can monitor those that are viewing material that publicize political issues and weak points in political campagins. Critics say that China want to prevent people criticizing their current political party.

However, China insists that the software is in the best interests of the country, so that pornographic, violent, illegal and pirated material can be filtered out and the Internet can become safer and cleaner for youth and more elderly people alike. The Foreign Minister of China has said today: “The purpose of this is to effectively manage harmful material for the public and prevent it from being spread”, while some members of the Internet Society claim that the software will be incredibly simple to bypass. So, if people know that the software is going to be insecure, and surely advisors to the Chinese government have told leaders that the software is going to be insecure, then why the trouble or the money to install this software on all of these computers? Is it entirely right that the government should have total control over what the nation searches for and browsers for on the web? I’m not too sure.

In this world, there must be some sense of security, privacy and personal preference. Since the Government of China decided they were against pornography on the Internet, hundreds have been arrested. Of course, China have the power to control the people in their country, but the web is universal and belongs to everybody, so is it wrong for China to have the ability to bend votes and change outcomes in political matters by limiting sites on the Internet? The Internet has provided people with a tool – accessible free speech, available at your fingertips. And if China begins to start to limit where the public can access on the net, they may be damaging their political system, and their people. It is, however, fair and understandable that China may be protecting its youth from dangerous sites on the Internet, and this is clearly a good thing – but should the Chinese government literally have the power to monitor every connection in their country? I think not – it totally removes independence. Perhaps the software should be installed only on computers of notorious users of pornography or visitors of sites that host illegal content – don’t target those that have done nothing wrong and are likely never to do so.

What do you think? Is China right to do this? Let us know, in a comment.