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by Mike Masnick

Fri, Apr 14th 2006 12:53pm





Next You'll Have To Register Every Time You View A Website In China

from the we're-watching-you... dept

The "Great Firewall" of China and the issues concerning internet censorship are well known -- including the fact that for all the resources they've put into blocking "bad" content, the filters don't work very well. However, what's interesting is that in the last year or so, China has slowly been taking a different approach to fighting whatever it is they don't like online. Instead of just blocking it at the source, they're trying to more closely watch what each individual is doing. Basically, they're trying to completely do away with any kind of internet anonymity by requiring people to register for almost anything they do online. It started mainly by shutting down "unlicensed" cybercafes a few years ago, but picked up last year when the government forced everyone who runs a website to "register" with the government, so they can associate each site with someone to blame, should anything go wrong. Of course, the web is just one way to communicate, and apparently someone just realized that. So, the latest move is to require anyone who runs their own email server to get a "license" first. They claim its an anti-spam move, but given how often China announces plans to crackdown on spam and how little has actually been done, it's a bit difficult to take them seriously. It's also worth noting that the law has a data retention element to it, requiring those "licensed" email server owners to retain all email that passes through the server for 60 days. Based on this, the law appears to have made criminals out of just about any business that dares to run their own email server. Either way, with all this registration and licensing going on, just imagine the bureaucracy it will create.

15 Comments | Leave a Comment

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  1.  
    icon
    mmrtnt (profile), Apr 14th, 2006 @ 1:38pm

    I'ts a Race!


    Between the US and China to out-big-brother each other


    http://news.com.com/ISP+snooping+gaining+support/2100-1028_3-6061187.html?tag=nefd.lede


    How long can the current administration bleat about "spreading democracy" while simultaneously aping the last major Communist dictatorship?



    MjM

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  2.  
    identicon
    mike-ish, Apr 14th, 2006 @ 2:23pm

    bureaucracy

    1.2 billion potential employees. They can just have all emails hand reviewed. It'll scale just like the Patent office.

    Oh, wait...

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  3.  
    identicon
    TizzyTube, Apr 14th, 2006 @ 2:54pm

    Thanks to all the American companies that make filtering possible! Where would we be without them? Just think of all the Chinese people out of work because of the decreased demand for windowless jailcells.

    God Bless George Bush, Bill O'Reilly, and Pat. I love you guys! Support your neighborhood Wal-Mart and McDonalds!

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  4.  
    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, Apr 14th, 2006 @ 4:05pm

    Re: tizzy's maniacal jabber

    huh?

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  5.  
    identicon
    EliteProxy, Apr 14th, 2006 @ 4:24pm

    Stupid, Stupid, China

    They already control everything else damn beuracracy this really pisses me off, not that I live in China or anything, but they are so stupid to not just let people be free. The only last free place in the world - the internet, they are trying to control that too! When will those control-freak dictators learn?

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  6.  
    identicon
    BZ, Apr 14th, 2006 @ 5:29pm

    big brother

    In Soviet China, email reads you!


    (I had to say it)

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  7.  
    identicon
    xuong, Apr 15th, 2006 @ 12:39am

    you have this wrong. this is for protection of the prolatariate from evil western infuences. Heroic people's internet invented here, we know what is best. Complainers are spies and lackeys for unworthy running dogs. Spies, all spies! Now, you go home!

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  8.  
    identicon
    ac, Apr 15th, 2006 @ 10:56am

    Not so different from in the west

    Only 60 days? Well, in Europe it will be half a year pretty soon. I believe the same laws are on their way in the US too.. But here we covers behind some stupid "terrorism threat"..

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  9.  
    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, Apr 15th, 2006 @ 7:12pm

    Re:

    uhh ur just kidding, right? i hope so...

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  10.  
    identicon
    Crossbones, Apr 16th, 2006 @ 7:38am

    Re: Not so different from in the west

    WTF?

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  11.  
    identicon
    Fukitall, Apr 16th, 2006 @ 1:01pm

    Days gone by...

    Almost makes you wish for the rain of nukes and the turning over the world to the cockroaches. Maybe they could do things right given time....

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  12.  
    identicon
    elaine, Apr 17th, 2006 @ 12:46am

    Talk about the loss of privacy. This situation in China is getting out of hand with this kind of practice. Information is free and obtaining it should also be free. This kind of ruling would only slow down the growth of the Chinese people in terms of thinking globally.

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  13.  
    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, Apr 17th, 2006 @ 8:14am

    Re: I'ts a Race!

    First off, China would kick the USA's @$$ if the two fought a war. Second, the U.S. likes China because of all the slave labor, so it's not going to do anything to piss China off. Third, China is the leading country in both manufacturing and I.T.. The U.S. is scared that its economy would collapse if US-China trade were disrupted.

    Put simply, the US is China's geisha girl. That's two dollar whore for those of you who are confused.

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  14.  
    identicon
    mike-ish, Apr 19th, 2006 @ 9:48am

    Re: Re: I'ts a Race!

    but we're their biggest customer. what do you think will happen to their economy if we cut off trade?

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  15.  
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    H, Jun 27th, 2006 @ 2:40pm

    daily teen porn pics

    Great new site about sexy teens free teen xxx porn. Millions pics and movies hot + teen cumshots!

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]


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