The Chinese ‘Green Dam’ software filters online content, preventing access to a specified – but not published -- list of websites, plus blocking sites that contain certain words and images.

Critics claim that pictures of pigs are blocked, for example, as the software mistakes them for naked human bodies.

Internet users' protest

There have been widespread protests against the ‘Green Dam’ on the Chinese Internet, although the Chinese government claims the software is only aimed at protecting children from pornographic and violent images. The well-known Chinese blogger Yang Hengjun is doubtful:

"If we listen to this explanation, it certainly seems plausible at first," he says. "To put it very simply, many countries all over the world do filtering. But if we pursue the matter a bit further, it doesn’t make sense at all: Number One -- there are no pornographic sites within China, and the pornographic sites are already being taken care of by the Fire Wall. Number Two -- they say, all countries abroad are already filtering pornography and violence, but we are taking an additional step here against ‘unhealthy content’. Now what is this thing called ‘unhealthy content’? It’s simply anything that they don’t want you to say. Including criticizing the government of certain places, that’s all ‘unhealthy content’!"

Trying to extend control

Top architect Ai Weiwei who helped design Beijing’s famous ‘Bird’s Nest Stadium’ has joined the protests. Ai Weiwei says the Internet has the potential to promote more freedom, but trends over the last few months in China show the government is trying to extend its control over the web:

"The ‘Green Dam’ is one of these methods. It is a software which belongs to a coercive setup. It imposes certain restrictions on what everybody’s computer would normally be able to do. Claiming to filter harmful content, it has actually done a great damage to the citizens’ right to choose and judge for themselves."

Seemingly backtracking, China has in the meantime clarified that Internet users will not have to use the filtering software. They could simply de-install ‘Green Dam’ from their computers, officials said. But it is still planned that it will come with all computers sold on the mainland from the first of July.

Ai Weiwei calls for Internet boycott

Most observers agree the Chinese authorities were completely taken aback with the strong criticism of the ‘Green Dam’ software among Chinese Internet users. Ai Weiwei says, "of course they didn’t expect it. It’s their tragedy that they never anticipate anything. They don’t understand at all which world we are living in today. All of the policies which they come up with run counter to the trends of today’s world. So it’s obvious that whenever they announce a policy it just becomes people’s laughing stock."

In a Twitter post, Ai Weiwei asked Chinese users to boycott the Internet on July 1, which, incidentally, is also the anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party. "Don't explain your behaviour," he wrote.

Author: Thomas Bärthlein
Editor: Disha Uppal