China Says Its Okay For Users To Delete Its New Censorware
from the wasn't-expecting-that dept
Well, this is certainly something of a surprise. Earlier this month, China required new censorware be installed on all computers sold there. Of course, this upset a bunch of people and also raised serious security concerns. Still, we didn’t expect the Chinese gov’t to back down. However, a variety of lawsuits and public protests in China has resulted in at least some backing down by the government. The gov’t is now saying that while the software will come installed on all new PCs, there’s no requirement that it be used. Of course, it’s not at all clear how easy it is to disable the software. The software is apparently uninstallable (or so the makers claim), but this new statement from the government makes it clear that there shouldn’t be sanctions against those who do go through with the uninstall.
Filed Under: blocking, censorship, china, great firewall, security
Comments on “China Says Its Okay For Users To Delete Its New Censorware”
Don’t really see a problem here. Its a simple fix;
format ; reload
Yea... right!
I have grown up in a communist totalitarian country and I know how those things work.
They are going to say it is not required to be used… so they would look good in western media. But in fact everyone not using the software would be bullied so that people would be afraid not to use it… and China will claim that everybody just uses it voluntarily.
I remember those things – you ‘can’ legally criticize your local communist party leader… but if you do you are not trustworthy and you are ‘against people’ so your kids will not be allowed to study at the university and your mom will be the last one to get treatment she needs.
Re: Yea... right!
I think it could be more subtle : the people not using the software would be marked as ‘dangerous’ and on a ‘to be watched’ list, instead of being bullied into using it.
Basically, that would simplify the process of censorship by narrowing the set potential dissidents.
Re: Re: Yea... right!
That sounds strangely familiar …..
Re: Yea... right!
Someone with access to the installer should leak the file so programmers can review the install to be able to remove it (assuming that it is made very hard to remove).
Then after a uninstaller is made create a dummy program to make it seem as if it is installed but not actually do any thing.
It would be like what people do to programs that HAVE TO HAVE DRM to work but do not want that junk running.
Tianeman Square
’nuff said really. It’s called lying, bad people and governments and corporations do it. Regularly.
China Says Its Okay For Users To Delete Its New Censorware….
If you want to be dragged out into the square and hung.
Step 1: Install highly-publicized spyware.
Step 2: Announce that the spyware can be uninstalled.
Step 3: “Uninstall” spyware, leaving behind a Trojan…
Sigh.
I am willing to bet that their censorship software doesn’t run on Linux 😉