Censorship

China Demands PC Makers Add Site-Censoring Software

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on June 9, 2009 - 9:11am.
Beijing - The government of China has mandated that, starting next month, PC makers include software on new computers that will help censor content it deems to be "unhealthy," Reuters reports. The "Green Dam-Youth Escort" software is necessary "in order to consolidate the achievements of the online campaign against pornography, combine punishment and prevention, protect the healthy growth of young people, and promote the Internet's healthy and orderly development," according to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.
tags: China | Censorship | Retail | Dell |

Julius Genachowski as New FCC Chair - What Will It Mean to Broadcasting's Future?

Authored by David Oxenford on January 15, 2009 - 8:58am.

The press was abuzz yesterday with the news that Julius Genachowski is apparently the pick of the Obama Administration for the position of FCC Chairman.  Mr. Genachowski was at the FCC during the Reed Hundt Administration, and has since worked in the private sector in the telecommunications industry, including work with Barry Diller and running a DC-based venture capital fund.  From the positive reactions that the appointment has received from all quarters, the choice would seem to be a great one.  But, in looking at some of the reactions, you have to question whether everyone has to be reading what they want to see into the new Commission. 

China's Crackdown on Web "Vulgarity" Shutters 91 Websites

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on January 12, 2009 - 9:00am.

Beijing - Following through with a campaign launched earlier this month to "clean up a vulgar current on the Internet," the Chinese government has shut down 91 websites, citing their display of pornography, vulgarity and other offensive content, Reuters reported, citing the state-run China.com.cn.

tags: China | Adult | Google | Censorship | Baidu |

China Begins Web Vulgarity Crackdown; Google, Baidu Targeted

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on January 5, 2009 - 10:45am.

Beijing - The Chinese government has launched a campaign to "clean up a vulgar current on the Internet" that targets 19 companies, including search leaders Baidu (NASD: BIDU) and Google (NASD: GOOG), Reuters reported, citing a report on the official news site China.com.cn.

tags: Law | Policy | China | Censorship |

China Lifts Internet Site Bans During The Olympics

Authored by Jay Baage on August 1, 2008 - 11:28am.
Beijing, China - Following overnight talks with the International Olympic Committee, China has lifted blocks on long-barred websites such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the BBC for journalists during the games.

Turkey Blocks Access to Photo Slideshow Site Slide

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on March 25, 2008 - 8:43am.

San Francisco - The Turkish government has banned access to photo slideshow service Slide in the country, after a local court found that the site was "harboring pictures and articles that are considered to be insulting to Ataturk," in a country where insulting the founder of the republic is a crime, according to a Slide spokesperson.

tags: Censorship | Turkey | Images | Slide |

China Blocks YouTube Over Tibet Protest Videos

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on March 17, 2008 - 8:42am.

Beijing - Google's (NASD: GOOG) YouTube has been blocked from the view of Chinese Internet users, after dozens of videos documenting protests against Chinese rule in Tibet appeared on the site over the weekend, the Associated Press reports.

Buzz Watch: The Singapore Government Censor Rap

Authored by Jay Baage on November 26, 2007 - 12:32pm.

This must be the first YouTube hit for an official government - Singapore's Media Development Authority (MDA), which regulates and censors media and the arts, has somewhat unexpectedly put together a rap video about the city-state's media ambitions. Watch it here.

Buzz Watch: Gene Simmons’ New Web Video Network “No Good TV” is Fearless

Authored by Jay Baage on June 13, 2007 - 11:42am.
No Good TV is a new web video network geared to 18-34 year-old men, or perhaps I should say boys, because its appeal is clearly to guys who enjoy fart-jokes and rock’n'roll more than high culture. But then again, what else can you expect from a company that has the old Kiss guitarist Gene Simmons, you know with the tongue, as an investor and Chairman of the Board? NGTV balances on the very edge of bad taste, but it’s certainly a whole new kind of web video experience.

Rockstar Games to Publish "Manhunt 2" This Summer

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on February 7, 2007 - 2:00pm.

New York - Rockstar Games, a unit of Take-Two Interactive, announced on Wednesday that it will publish "Manhunt 2," a sequel to its violent action title, for PlayStation 2, PSP and Nintendo Wii this summer. The original game was banned in Germany, Australia and New Zealand, and pulled from store shelves by a number of U.K. retailers, after it was found at the crime scene of a murdered teenager there. The sequel is being developed at Rockstar London, in conjunction with Rockstar North, while the Wii version is being created at Rockstar Toronto. Separately, Rockstar announced on Wednesday that it will bring its previously PSP-only "Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories" title to the PlayStation 2; the game is slated for release in North America on March 6 and in Europe on March 9.

Chinese Search Site Baidu Wins News Provider License From Government

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on January 23, 2007 - 9:12am.

Shanghai - Baidu, the leading search engine in China, has won a license from the Chinese government to provide original news reports on its website, Reuters reported, citing government and industry sources.

Brazil Court Orders YouTube to Block Supermodel Video

Authored by dmw on January 5, 2007 - 10:46am.
Daniela Cicarelli Beach Sex San Mateo, Calif. - Video sharing site YouTube has been ordered by a Brazilian judge to block Brazilian Internet users from viewing racy footage of supermodel Daniela Cicarelli and her boyfriend, The Associated Press reported. The video reportedly shows the two becoming intimate on a beach. YouTube was first ordered to remove the video in September.

Senators Clinton, Lieberman Help Launch Video Game PSA Campaign

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on December 8, 2006 - 1:50pm.
Washington - U.S. Senators Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) and Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) joined Patricia Vance, president of the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB) this week in Washington to launch a nationwide PSA campaign that will encourage parents to use game ratings when buying games for their children.

Survey: 68% of Parents Find Video Game Ratings Effective

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on December 5, 2006 - 2:43pm.
Santa Monica, Calif. - A recent survey commissioned by video game publisher Activision found that 84% of parents are very familiar with the industry's game ratings system, and 68% believe the system is effective in helping them make game purchases for their children.

Video Game Trade Group to Get $182,000 in Legal Fees from Michigan

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on December 1, 2006 - 1:03pm.
Washington - The Entertainment Software Association said on Friday that it will receive more than $182,000 in legal fees from the State of Michigan following its successful suit to block a new state law banning the sale of violent video games to minors.

Video Game Report Card: Big Retailers Get "A," Specialty Stores "F"

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 30, 2006 - 3:09pm.
Washington - The National Institute on Media and the Family (NIMF) has released its annual "Video Game Report Card," giving large retail stores like Wal-Mart and Best Buy an "A" grade for enforcing video game ratings, while specialty retailers -- which include stores like GameStop and Electronics Boutique -- were given a failing grade.

Louisiana Judge Permanently Blocks Violent Video Game Law

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 30, 2006 - 3:03pm.
Washington - A federal judge in Louisiana has blocked implementation of a state law that would have banned the sale of violent video games to minors.

Study: Violent Games Have Lingering Effect on Brain Activity

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 29, 2006 - 2:36pm.
Chicago - Teens who play violent video games exhibit increased activity in "emotional" areas of the brain and decreased activity in "self-control" areas, according to a study presented at the Radiological Society of North America's annual meeting, Reuters reported.

Appeals Court Upholds Injunction on Illinois Video Game Law

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 28, 2006 - 2:41pm.
Chicago - The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit has upheld a lower court ruling that declared an Illinois law banning the sale of sexually explicit games to minors in the state to be unconstitutional.

German Lawmakers Call for Ban on Violent Games After School Rampage

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 21, 2006 - 1:58pm.
Berlin - Some German lawmakers are calling for a ban on violent video games, following a school rampage in the country on Monday where an 18-year-old wounded as many as 27 people with guns and explosives before killing himself, Reuters reported.