China to Chinese citizens: ‘Please feel free to censor yourselves…’
The ping-pong match between Chinese authorities and free-speech n’er-do-wells continues as China now claims that censorship web-filtering apps will not be forcibly activated, but will be shipped gratis with all new computers sold on the mainland. That way, users can keep the bad internets at bay voluntarily.
Although the government says the software is aimed at blocking violence and pornography, users who have tried it say it prevents access beyond those topics to discussions of homosexuality, images of comic book characters, mentions of the banned Falun Gong spiritual group and, according to Hong Kong media reports, images of pigs because the software confuses them with naked human flesh.
The government had said the new software must be packaged with all computers sold in China beginning July 1, and installation was widely believed to be required. However, the ministry official and state media both said Tuesday that computer users are free to decide whether to use the new software.
It can’t tell the difference between pigs and porn? Who designed this thing, Sarah Palin?
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