http://tech.yahoo.com/news/ap/20090608/ap_on_hi_te/as_china_internet
"China is requiring personal computers sold in the country to carry software that blocks online pornography and other Web sites." This is a program that allows parents to monitor what sites their child accesses. The article states that the program picks up on key words and such rather than just web addresses to block. It is possible to unblock sites or uninstall software, but it involves taking the time to do so. Parents are essentially using this program to monitor their child's internet viewings, but how many of them will uninstall the software even if they don't mind their children viewing it? I would say, "not many." The parents of the children in this computer generation are fairly new with technology and wouldn't bother to figure out how it completely works. Therefore, technology like this will continue to control internet browsing. It is stated that if people want to uninstall the software "there's also the possibility of the software leaving traces and giving users a false sense of security if the software blocks or monitors usage anyhow." Talk about censorship!
While this version doesn't have surveillance over its users, there is a huge possibility that future updates will have surveillance capabilities. Then what? Is our society eventually going to turn into China where every one's computer usage will be intensely monitored ALL the time?
This article predominately focuses on blocking pornographic websites, and while I understand all the illegal outcomes that come from pornographic websites such as "kiddie porn" and so forth I don't believe it should be banned. There should, for sure, be ways to block and shut down under age porn sites, but PORN isn't illegal. Stores and stands sell porn magazines every day, and people order TV porn all the time. By placing this program in PCs in China it puts America one step closer to becoming like China, over censored! We live in a place of freedom and our personal viewings should be our business as long as it is within the legal perimeters. If china has this then you know we are only a step away from having a very similar form of technology.
1 comments:
"We live in a place of freedom and our personal viewings should be our business as long as it is within the legal perimeters. If china has this then you know we are only a step away from having a very similar form of technology."
Paige -- not so. The technology exists here too but as we live in a democracy rather than a totalitarian communist government, I don't think these particular freedoms are at risk in the US. (If for no other reason than the porn industry is lucrative)
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