China tightens Internet security, Google takes a hit

Under the guise of cleaning the Internet, the government suspended Google’s Chinese portal for linking to pornographic sites, and implemented regulation requiring computers sold after July 1 contain Green Dam Internet filter software. Xinhua reports an “army of tens of thousands of volunteers” will be registered officially and tasked with the responsibility of reporting questionable content and “uncivilized behavior”. Several conspiracy stories are afoot as to the severity of Google’s punishment, questioning ties between Baidu, Google’s biggest China competitor, and state run media CCTV, which lambasted Google in three different news programs this week. Baidu has reportedly invested large sums into CCTV ads.

China filters Google in war on “uncivilized behaviour”, Bloomberg

Who profits from Google’s misfortunes?, ChinaStakes

Beijing to recruit tens of thousands of “Internet surveillance volunteers”, Xinhua News

Analysis of the Green Dam Censorware system, University of Michigan