China has droppedcontroversial plansto force PC makers to install
internet filtering software on all new computers.
Installation of the Green Dam/Youth Escort software was set to
become mandatory from 1 July, but was
not enforced after sparking local and international
protest.
At the time, China's ministry for information technology said
the delay was to give PC makers more time to prepare.
But now the ministry has announced that the internet filtering
software is to be deployed only in schools, internet cafés and
other public places, according to the
Financial Times.
The ministry said it would respect consumers' freedom of choice
and would not force the installation on all PCs sold in China.
Authorities claimed the software was to protect young internet
users from harmful content, but tests found that it also blocked
politically sensitive content.
Thousands of people in China protested against the censorship
plan by signing up to proxy servers that enabled them to bypass the
government's controls.
Security experts also warned that weaknesses in the software
could make users
vulnerable to attacks from hackers.