We're all in trouble

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Nick-la
Wonder Wit

Joined: July 19, 2003
Posts: 3675
Location: Wasted on this site

Posted: Apr 27, 2004 - 01:18 PM
Post subject: We're all in trouble

http://www.guardian.co.uk/china/story/0,7369,1200861,00.html

Shanghai cracks down on internet cafes

Associated Press
Thursday April 22, 2004

China's authorities are installing video cameras and high-tech software in Shanghai's internet cafes and bars to make sure that customers do not look at forbidden websites, a state-run Chinese newspaper reported today.
The new controls, part of a crackdown also aimed at keeping children out of internet cafes, will begin in every one of the city's 1,325 internet venues by the end of June, the Shanghai Daily newspaper quoted a government official as saying.

The equipment will be used to "spot illegal activities immediately", the paper reported Yu Wenchang, of the Shanghai culture, radio, film and TV administration, as saying.

If the software detects a computer user reading a banned site, it will automatically send a message to a "remote supervisory centre", the report said.

Off-limits websites are those deemed to be pornographic or "superstitious", the report said, using sites carrying information about the banned fah1on g0ng spiritual group as an example.

Authorities are known to have installed filters aimed at preventing access to such sites, as well as those that criticise the government or the Communist party. Dozens of people have been sentenced to prison for posting on or downloading from sites.

The new software will require all computer users in internet cafes or bars to enter their identification card numbers - or, in the case of foreigners, passport numbers - the report said. Internet venues caught violating rules that bar those under the age of 16 will face fines of 15,000 yuan (£1,000) for a first offence. Business licenses will be suspended for a second violation, and revoked for a third.

Any venue found letting minors in after midnight would have its license revoked immediately, the report said.

It added that youngsters were likely to try and skirt the restrictions by using their parents' ID numbers, and said that this was a major reason for installing the video cameras.

Since Shanghai began its campaign to clean up internet bars and cafes this month, 57 establishments have been punished or shut down, the city government said yesterday.

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jenming

FooJay

Joined: Dec 20, 2002
Posts: 1671
Location: Right where you wanna be
Status: Offline

Posted: Apr 27, 2004 - 05:27 PM

Quote:

or, in the case of foreigners, passport numbers

I find it highly unlikely that they're going to be able to enforce this. Who brings their passport with them when they go out to a NET BAR?

then again WTF do I know? I'm a sicko perv.

Michael

Moderator

Joined: Mar 22, 2002
Posts: 5053

Status: Offline

Posted: Apr 27, 2004 - 05:50 PM

I just take it for granted that everything I do on the net is monitored. And this is one reason we have board moderation here. Its all too easy for some bureaucrat to get bee in their bonnet and pull the plug. But I don't understand of the logic of some of the blocking... quite a few opensource software sites, for instance, I have not been able to get through to . And I also wonder why, on my broadband connection, at the end of the say I sent more packets than I received.. even if I have not uploaded anything enywhere ( and yes.. I have firewalls and all that).