Analyzing Apple’s censorship: The Bottom Line
Apple dumped a bunch of its sexier apps from the App Store citing complaints from users. Oddly, they kept apps from larger companies like Playboy. To make sense of Apple's move, we talked to Gary Krakow and Scott McNulty on the Bottom Line.
Guests:
Verizon Wireless censors 4chan: TechVi Now Morning Edition
Users of Verizon Wireless cannot reach 4chan, the iPhone's latest OS is now jailbreak-friendly, Google explains why they ran a Super Bowl ad, and more on TechVi Now.
Hackers take down Australian government site
Source:
Permalink
On Wednesday Australian hackers, protesting a proposed internet censorship bill, launched an attack against the Communications and Media Authority and planned to attack the Communication Minister's site. It is unclear whether the group's attack was fully successful or if the sites were taken down as a precaution. The hackers only identified themselves as "Anonymous."
China backs off on “Green Dam” plan
Source:
Permalink
China's plans to "protect its youth from pornography" have been officially put on ice, as state run media is reporting the project has been cancelled. Originally, China was planning to require all PC manufacturers to install spyware and filterware, reportedly based on an illegal rip of a US-based software company's program. Some companies installed the software anyway, but now US companies who were protesting the move are now free to continue with business as usual.
Online games with mafia themes now banned in China
Source:
Permalink
China adds another category to the notorious Great Firewall: mafia-style games, for "highlight(-ing) the anti-social gangster behavior of beating, killing, looting, raping and cheating, and they promote bloodshed and violence". According to China's Ministry of Culture, such games also "gravely threaten and distort society's efforts to build a lawful society and moral codes and will easily harm the youth".
Green Dam still hits some Chinese machines despite delay
Source:
Permalink
The ongoing saga of Green Dam, the Chinese "anti-pornography" software, continues forward. Even though the government says it's not planning to require the software for the short term, a few different companies including Chinese Haier, Japanese Sony and Taiwanese Acer all have included Green Dam on every machine shipped to China. Some in the west had hoped the Chinese government would drop the plan to make the software mandatory, but the government says it'll still require the software to be installed at some point in the future.
China delays “Green Dam” software indefinitely
China has delayed the required implementation of its Green Dam software indefinitely, after US trade representatives and other groups pressured Beijing to relax its hardline stance requiring the software on all machines shipped to China. See our Green Dam tag for background on the story.
Google China gets wrist slap for inadequately blocking porn
Source:
Permalink
A Chinese government-backed watchdog group, called the China Internet Illegal Information Reporting Center, recommended the government take legal action against Google, since it found users could access large amounts of pornographic images using the service.
Chinese netizens protest over internet filtering software
Reuters reports Chinese internet users are in an "uproar" over mandatory filtering software which will be installed on all new computers sold after July 1st. Reuters cites a lawyer named Li Fangping, who is calling for public hearings into the matter, in addition to other freedom of speech activists. Chinese officials claim the "Green Dam" filtering software will curb the flow of pornography into the country.
China requires porn-blocking software on all new computers
Beginning July 1st, all computers sold in China will be required to include special software which will allow government officials to control Internet usage on those machines. The move is being hailed by those leaders as a way to combat porn sites, however many believe that censorship of its people's anti-government ideas is the real goal.