Several top US officials have urged China to refrain from the proposal to mandate internet filtering software on every PC, they warn that the action violates World Trade Organization (WTO) rules.
Commerce Secretary Gary Locke and Trade Representative Ron Kirk have sent joint letters to their Chinese colleagues, in which they tell China they may be violating WTO rules if they require that every computer sold has the Green Dam software installed. Locke said: “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.” The Chinese authorities say that the Green Dam internet filter software filters pornographic and violent websites, to protect children of the largest internet community in the world. But trade and rights groups fear this is a new attempt by China to censor the internet. Kirk said: “Protecting children from inappropriate content is a legitimate objective, but this is an inappropriate means and is likely to have a broader scope. 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”
Online casino operators were stunned by the statements of the US, because they seem to accuse China of all the action which the US internet gambling ban does as well. For example, according to the US China is violating WTO rules, deny personal freedom en force censorship, but the European Commission has sent an official complaint to the WTO because the US does not allow foreign casino sites and block access to sites (censorship and denying personal freedom). Several tests of the Green Dam software show that the software can also be used to block other sites, such as online casino gambling sites. The test also show serious security risks, such as the risk of the computer being hacked. From the 1st of July the Green Dam software is mandatory on every newly sold computer.
