On June 8, 2009, a Chinese government directive requiring domestic computer manufacturers and manufacturers that export computers to China to pre-install filtering software – “Green Dam Youth Escort” software – was made public. The directive requires that all computers sold in China – either manufactured in China or imported – be equipped with filtering software as of July 1, 2009.
- Respect the Consumer’s Freedom of Choice: Computers Will Not Be Forced to Have “Green Dam” Installed (August 18, 2009)
On August 13, 2009, in a press conference in the State Council, Li Yizhong, Minister of Industry and Information Technology, announced that aside from the computers in schools, internet cafes, and other public venues, the government will not require mandatory pre-installation of Green Dam, the Internet filtering software. Minister Li said that the May 19 government directive, which required that the software be pre-installed on all computers manufactured and sold in China, had not been “thought through.” HRIC has translated the official text of this announcement. - OpenNet Initiative Releases "China’s Green Dam: The Implications of Government Control Encroaching on the Home PC"(June 12, 2009)
The OpenNet Initiative (ONI) has released a new research bulletin that reviews the functional elements of China's Green Dam software and explores the possible effects of its implementation on a national scale. ONI concludes that Green Dam is deeply flawed and poses critical security concerns for users, and may facilitate a much more intrusive mechanism for filtering and surveillance. - A Technical Analysis of the 'Green Dam-Youth Escort' Software
A collaborative and continuously updated overview of the filtering software. - Analysis of the Green Dam Censorware System (June 11, 2009)
Analysis of the Green Dam filtering software by the University of Michigan Computer Science and Engineering Division. - Committee to Project Journalists: Seeing red over green: China to install censorship software (June 12, 2009)
- Chinese Lawyer Challenges Filtering Software Order and Requests Public Hearing (June 11, 2009)
Beijing rights defense lawyer Li Fangping (李方平) submitted a request on June 11, 2009, to Li Yizhong (李毅中), Minister of Industry and Information Technology, to hold a hearing on the ministry’s requirement that all computers sold in China – either manufactured in China or imported – be equipped with filtering software as of July 1, 2009. - Chinese Government Orders Computer Manufacturers to Pre-install Filtering Software (June 8, 2009)
A Chinese government directive requiring domestic computer manufacturers and manufacturers that export computers to China to pre-install filtering software – “Green Dam Youth Escort” software – was made public on June 8, 2009. Human Rights in China (HRIC) has translated the directive and compiled the following background information on the development and use of the software.