Law Enforcement Fails To Combat Software Piracy

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

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

Fri, Apr 14th 2006 12:53pm — Mike Masnick

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.

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15 Comments

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mmrtnt (profile), 14 Apr 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
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- Anonymous Coward, 17 Apr 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.
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  - mike-ish, 19 Apr 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?
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mike-ish, 14 Apr 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...
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TizzyTube, 14 Apr 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!
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- Anonymous Coward, 14 Apr 2006 @ 4:05pm
  
  Re: tizzy's maniacal jabber
  huh?
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EliteProxy, 14 Apr 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?
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BZ, 14 Apr 2006 @ 5:29pm

big brother
In Soviet China, email reads you!

(I had to say it)
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xuong, 15 Apr 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!
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- Anonymous Coward, 15 Apr 2006 @ 7:12pm
  
  Re:
  uhh ur just kidding, right? i hope so...
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ac, 15 Apr 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"..
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- Crossbones, 16 Apr 2006 @ 7:38am
  
  Re: Not so different from in the west
  WTF?
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Fukitall, 16 Apr 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....
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elaine, 17 Apr 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.
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H, 27 Jun 2006 @ 2:40pm

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