China Drops Green Dam Web Filtering System

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    Date: 
    10 September 2009

    Chinese officials appear to have retreated from their controversial plan to install an internet filtering system on computers in the country.

    The industry and information technology minister, Li Yizhong, said today that the notion that the Green Dam programme would be required on every new computer was "a misunderstanding" spawned by poorly written regulations.

    He said all public computers in schools and internet cafes must install the software – but the government "respected the choice of individuals who do not install it". He said: "Those who overstated and politicised the issue, or even attacked China's internet regulation, are irresponsible," and added that pornography was the main target of the software.