US firm warns PC makers over Chinese software
— “Beijing has notified PC companies that it requires all PCs sold in China from July 1 to include Green Dam/Youth Escort, a censorship software commissioned by the Chinese government”

PC makers plead with China for release from Youth Escort

Trade Groups Ask China to Scrap Filter

AP: China says unpopular filtering software optional
— “China appeared to cave in to public pressure Tuesday by announcing that computer users are not required to install Internet-filtering software — though it will still come with all PCs sold on the mainland.”
— “A Ministry of Industry and Information Technology official reached by telephone told The Associated Press that use of the “Green Dam Youth Escort” software is ‘not compulsory.’ He would not give his name as is customary with Chinese officials.”
— “China already has the world’s most extensive system of Web monitoring and censorship and has issued numerous regulations in response to the rise of blogging and other trends. Operators are required to monitor Web pages and bulletin boards and delete content deemed subversive.”

BusinessWeek: China’s PC Censorship Software Blocks More than Sex
— “The controversial new software blocks political and religious websites and is ‘far more intrusive’ than other content control software, say OpenNet researchers”