Outrage over bid to tame Web

By Cui Xiaohuo/Cui Jia (China Daily)
Updated: 2009-06-18 13:45

The American Library Association challenged the CIPA in 2001 arguing "no filtering software successfully differentiates constitutionally protected speech from illegal speech on the Internet".

But the US Supreme Court upheld the CIPA on condition "a librarian will unblock filtered material or disable the Internet software filter without significant delay on an adult user's request".

Now, while CIPA requires schools and libraries to protect against such computers being used to access obscene images, child pornography or images "harmful to minors" while any such machines are being used by children, the law also states the library can "disable the technology protection measure concerned, during use by an adult, to enable access for bona fide research or other lawful purpose."

Professor Xie Xinzhou, deputy dean of the school of journalism and communication at Peking University, said the Chinese government should not interfere if netizens want to view certain online content in private, or when and how they want to view.

"There is a boundary for the government with administrative powers and how they make fair laws for online content," he said. "Remember, netizens are also citizens protected by the constitution."

Shen Kui, of Peking University, added: "Why does it have to be this authorized software rather than another well-developed option? Why does it have to be applied to all Chinese computer users rather than recommending it to parents?"

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