Dam this Net Nanny

I don't see anything green in Green Dam. Instead I've noticed gobs of red and black.

The filtering software, which the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology wants installed in every computer sold in the country starting from July 1, is supposed to cleanse the Internet of unhealthy content. But the most possible effect is, it's going to make every Chinese netizen look like an idiot - or an adult with the IQ of an 8-year-old.

Online feedback shows that many netizens are red with anger. Perhaps that is why a ministry official hinted this week that users will be able to decide for themselves whether to install the software. If that isn't enough, Green Dam's developers now face a copyright action by US makers of similar filter software.