Intellectual Property Law

Filtering holiday

By Susan Crawford

In preparation for the Olympics, China announces that it is thinking about weakening the Great Firewall.  And that it may allow access to the BBC.

Meanwhile, the Federal Times reports that our U.S. State Dept. is planning to hand out $15 million to developers to “produce ‘Internet technology programs and protocols’ that enable ‘widespread and secure Internet use’ in countries where the Internet is now heavily censored.”  As one of my colleages said today, it’s Voice of America in software form.

But - wait - it’s not all free-flow-bliss out there.  There are strong rumors that a concerted effort is underway in the EU to mandate ISP filtering for (at the least) copyright issues and indecent material.  (It’s always things that start with “P”:  pornography, P2P file trading….)  Clean Feed is on the march.

So, what is it, Western World?  Are some kinds of filtering fine (like AT&T’s plans) and others labeled “censorship”?

China may be watching for clues.  It will undoubtedly start its observation engines again as the air darkens over Beijing in September 2008.

If, indeed, it ever really turns them off.

Full post as published by Susan Crawford Blog on February 06, 2008 (boomark / email).