China to censor text messages

LazerLordz SG

China to censor text messages

By Louisa Lim
BBC, Beijing

China is expanding its censorship controls to cover text messages sent using mobile phones.
New regulations have been issued to allow mobile phone service providers to police and filter messages for pornographic or fraudulent content.

But analysts fear the real targets are political dissidents.

China's authorities are gradually tightening control over the spread of electronic information, particularly on the internet.

A Paris-based group, Reporters Without Borders, says the Chinese authorities are increasingly using new technology to control information.

It says one Chinese company marketing a system to monitor mobile phone text messages has announced it is watching for "false political rumours" and "reactionary remarks".

Venus Info Tech Ltd said in a press release that its surveillance system worked by filtering algorithms based on key words and combinations of key words.

Certain key words could trigger an automatic alert to the police.

Text threat

Text messaging has already threatened Beijing's control over information.

Last year, the authorities tried to hide the outbreak of the respiratory disease Sars.

But millions of text messages were sent, alerting people to the virus and exposing the government cover-up.

So far, the new regulations are only being used by one of the country's two mobile phone operators, China Mobile Corporation.

But it controls 65% of the mobile phone market, so these new rules will almost certainly become the industry standard.

Last year, Chinese people sent more than 220bn text messages, more than half of all messages sent in the world, according to China's Xinhua news agency.

LazerLordz SG

Truly repressive, the machinations of a state that fears its own citizens because it feels they will threaten the powers that be.Sound familiar?

sgboy2004 SG

wow, so much for being an open society... Sad

LazerLordz SG

No one ever said they were an open society.Capitalistic ..yes.Free?Nope.Not a chance.

Blueray SG

Compared to Singapore, China is definitely a much more open society. The people dared to go on the streets and demonstrate against government policies they are against. Locals I met dare to criticize their government in such an open manner.
I can't imagine any Singaporeans who dare to do that....

Sardaukar SG

The minds of our Singapore youth are pure and undefiled,as the PAP knows best and must protect our Singaporean culture from the corruption that spreads throughout the world.Surely not thinking for yourself and concentrating on the important things of life,like money,sex,children and family are more important that politics and human rights and freedom.

The PAP is rarely wrong and all Singaporeans should listen to the PAP.

Obey and be content with your place,for then you will find true happiness.Just listen to the PAP.

Laughing
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juz joking.once lau lee is freed from the mortal coil,things will change.
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Warrior eternal,I will fight and die for my Sihaya,my desert rose and oasis in of my lonely soul.As the moon rises,so my blood will flow,so will my spirit be freed,for my woman and I are connected at the level of the soul.

For victory,for honour,for valour and mercy,it is we the fighters who will inherit the earth.

oldbreadstinks SG

i talk about the lee family openly, does that count? Laughing
my friend's always joking that one day i would just disappear without anyone knowing why

Blueray SG

Be careful with what u say....You never know what will happen. Laughing

gaoyue SG

Depends, but mainly there isn't any alternatives to the current admin team, you may say they sux and this and that but when it boils down to who can do a better job.. who else? Singapore democrats? You?

Anyways, for me personally, I don't have anything against our local government, nor can I think of anyone able to do a better job. We're still here surfing the internet and able to go for a sushi buffet whenever we want to, can we say the same for other people in some other countries?

While you're here complaining against the PAP and whatever lee family dynasty, you must also remember who made things possible today. So its not that I don't run naked around screaming reformasi, its becuz I don't have anything to complain other than some minor rants that I wouldn't remember 15 mins from now.

But China, is a much different case altogether, even though the single party policy still applies.. The government is immature and crude, and its one huge place too.

Blueray SG

You got me wrong. I don't really have any ill feelings towards PAP to begin with. But what I really dislike about PAP is that they want us to be more vocal and at the same time they are always trying to control every facet of life in S'pore to the point of rooting out any hint of dissent. All this is done in accordance with the law and of course the government makes those laws. I mean....who dares to speak up under such circumstances.

gaoyue SG

Me bad. Razz But I think the system is in a reform process, thats why we have these contradictions. I'm sure we can root it out in time to come. Smile

LazerLordz SG

I just want an honest team running this country.Granted, the PAP may have had their successes, but is it blasphemous to think others can do a better job?This is the same mindset that also pervades our soccer establishment.Is the net for talent cast far and wide enough?Not all pachyderms need to be of the same color you know.