Green Dam damned

A CUNNING PLAN by the glorious People's Republic of China to filter Internet content is about to go tits up.

The developer behind the Green Dam Youth Escort software has closed down its Beijing project team because the government stopped paying for it, a BBC report says.

The scheme was controversial because China demanded that all computers be equipped with the software.

However the government lost interest in the plan when it was revealed that the software was nicked from a US company, probably would not work and created a security vulnerablity.

Critics pointed out that it was intended to stop Chinese Internet users from accessing politically sensitive information.

The roll-out was delayed due to strong domestic and international opposition. Later the government said that using the software was optional and it was never really all that interested in it anyway.

Nonetheless, Green Dam software was installed in 20 million computers in Internet cafes and schools.

But government funding only covered a one-year period from 2008 through 2009, after which there was no subsequent funding made available.

Chen Xiaomeng, general manager for the Green Dam software developer said that when he asked the government for more cash, it didn't return his calls and it doesn't answer his letters anymore, either. µ