U.S. Demands China Revoke Web Filtering Requirement

U.S trade officials demanded that China rescind its mandate requiring that Web filtering software come pre-installed on all PCs sold there, maintaining that the directive could violate trade terms established by the World Trade Organization, Reuters reports.

Starting July 1, U.S. computer makers are expected to adhere to a deadline requiring Web filtering software, called Green Dam-Youth Escort, come pre-installed on all computers sold in China.

However, security researchers have since discovered that the Green Dam software, created by Jinhui Computer System Engineering Co., also contains critical security flaws that could allow the Chinese government to spy on its users and block access to other politically controversial Web sites. Critics also warn that the security vulnerabilities would give the Chinese government another means of controlling Web content viewed by its citizens.

U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke and U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk issued a joint letter to the Chinese government raising security and censorship concerns and demanding that the requirement be revoked. The letter, which was sent to the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, raised "fundamental questions" about whether the Web filtering requirement violates transparency and compliance terms established by the WTO. Among other things, the WTO prohibits governments from putting up barriers to trade.

"China is putting companies in an untenable position by requiring them, with virtually no public notice, to pre-install software that appears to have broad based censorship implications and network security issues," Locke said in a statement.

However, China continues to hold fast to its July 1 deadline, contending that Green Dam Web filtering software is necessary in order to prevent children from viewing pornography and Web sites featuring violence.

"Protecting children from inappropriate content is a legitimate objective, but this is an inappropriate means and is likely to have a broader scope," Kirk said, according to Reuters.

"Mandating technically flawed Green Dam Software and denying manufacturers and consumers freedom to select filtering software is an unnecessary and unjustified means to achieve that objective, and poses a serious barrier to trade," Kirk added.

Meanwhile, the mandate leaves U.S. computer makers with business in China, which include Hewlett-Packard, Dell, and Lenovo scrambling to comply to the July 1 deadline as they consider their position on the matter.

The Wall Street Journal reported that a Lenovo spokesperson said that Lenovo maintained it would obey the law and abide by local regulations wherever (the company) does business.

HP said in a statement it was "working closely with the trade industry association, ITI, to seek additional information, clarify open questions and monitor developments on this matter."

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