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Chinese Protest Censorship: July Internet Boycott, Green Tsunami
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by alia_d | June 22, 2009 at 02:42 pm
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Chinese internet users, led by renowned artist Ai Weiwei, are calling for a one-day internet boycott on July 1 in response to the Chinese government's decision to require a mandatory censorship software on all new PCs beginning in July.
The governments says the software, named Green Dam Youth Software, will protect youth from pornography and other harmful materials; however, many Chinese internet users see it is a violation of privacy and worry that it will result in increased internet censorship.
One web survey published by the Beijing Times indicated that most respondents thought the software violated privacy. They were not willing to pay for it once a free one-year subscription expired.
In a posting on Twitter today, the artist Ai Weiwei —an adviser on the design of the Bird’s Nest stadium built for the Beijing Olympics — appealed for a boycott on July . He wrote: "Stop any online activities, including working, reading, chatting, blogging, gaming and mailing. Don't explain your behaviour."
He hoped that the date, the anniversary of the founding of the Chinese Communist Party, could become a permanent memorial for lack of freedom on the internet in China.
Chinese internet users also hope to counteract the Green Dam Youth Software with the Green Tsunami.
Earlier this month, Global Internet Freedom, a consortium of technology companies specialized in circumventing internet censorship, announced the creation of Green Tsunami, a software designed to disable the Green Dam Youth Software temporarily or to uninstall it.
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Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (1)
at 23:44 on June 24th, 2009
Thank you for concern the freedom in China. Best wish to you from a member of the country!