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In the United States, civil liberties are near the top of the list for the government and the people, which helps one to understand why there is such a big outcry about the UIGEA (Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act). In other countries, such as China, civil liberties do not feature at all, so the new move by the Chinese government to block and ban a number of websites should not come as a surprise to Chinese citizens.
It is, however, likely to come as a surprise, because the Chinese government has not yet officially informed their people that as of July 1st, all personal computers available for sale in China will come with an inbuilt website blocking software that will block online gambling amongst a number of other sites. Supposedly, the sites to be blocked will be blocked in order to protect Chinese children. While this may well be understood when it comes to blocking pornographic websites, other sites that will be blocked range from online gambling sites to anything connected to the banned spiritual movement, Falun Gong, and many other sites that do not show the government-approved political agenda. The sites will be blocked by software developed by the Chinese company, Jinhui Computer System Engineering Company. The block will go as far as tracking chats, and even word processing programs, which will shut down if certain key words connected to the banned sites appear. It seems that demagogues the world over use issues such as the "protection of children" in order to simply further their own political agendas. |
