China wants to reinvent the internet: Superpower aims to run part of the net on its own terms and police social media
WSJ report suggests China wants to exert influence over every part of the tech industry from social media to semi-conductors
Web content could be policed and effectively censored under new plans
Its move is in stark-contrast to the views of Tim Berners-Lee, the creator of the web, who has called for its freedoms to be safeguarded
China has in the past banned sites such as Facebook and Twitter and filtered online content using the ‘Great Firewall’.
Now its government is reportedly trying to redesign the internet so it can police parts of it on its own terms.
A report suggests China wants to exert influence over every part of the tech industry and web in the country, from social media to semi-conductors.
Its move is in stark-contrast to the views of Sir Tim Berners-Lee, the creator of the web, who has called for its freedoms to be safeguarded.
The ‘father of the web’ has previously said: ‘The original design of the web…was for a universal space, we didn't have a particular computer in mind or browser, or language.
‘When you make something universal… it can be used for good things or nasty things… we just have to make sure it's not undercut by any large companies or governments trying to use it and get total control.’
A report by The Wall Street Journal suggests President Xi Jinping intends on fracturing the international system that enables content to be shared freely online around the world.
Under the plans, website content would be patrolled by the government.
A draft law has been passed aiming to tighten controls over the domestic internet, including the power to cut all access during security emergencies.
Other draft laws that are being considered include terms that could force foreign tech companies to hand local authorities encryption keys to take control of devices.
The Cyberspace Administration of China declined to comment on the publication’s article.
SIR TIM BERNERS-LEE'S CALL FOR A DIGITAL 'MAGNA CARTA'
World wide web creator Sir Tim Berners-Lee called for a digital 'Magna Carta' to enshrine the rights of users across the world on the 25th anniversary of his proposal for the web.
Sir Tim said that a digital bill of rights should be introduced to ensure that the web should be accessible to all and the principles that have made it successful defended.
Speaking last year, he said: 'I hope this anniversary will spark a global conversation about our need to defend principles that have made the web successful, and to unlock the web's untapped potential.
'I believe we can build a web that truly is for everyone: one that is accessible to all, from any device, and one that empowers all of us to achieve our dignity, rights and potential as humans.'
Sir Tim told the BBC that people should take a stand against surveillance.
'He said: 'It's time for us to make a big communal decision. In front of us are two roads - which way are we going to go?
'Are we going to continue on the road and just allow the governments to do more and more and more control - more and more surveillance?
'Or are we going to set up a bunch of values? Are we going to set up something like a Magna Carta for the world wide web and say, actually, now it's so important, so much part of our lives, that it becomes on a level with human rights?'
Calling for increased vigilance against surveillance so people can use the internet without feeling 'somebody's looking over our shoulder', he added: 'The people of the world have to be constantly aware, constantly looking out for it - constantly making sure through action, protest, that it doesn't happen.'
In 2013 the five people who invented the internet as we know it - Robert Kahn, Vinton Cerf, Louis Pouzin, Tim Berners and Marc Andreessen -were awarded the first Queen Elizabeth prize for Engineering.http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3178430/China-wants-reinvent-internet-Superpower-aims-run-net-terms-police-social-media.html----------------------------------------------------------
Remember kids: communism has NEVER invented a good thing for humanity. It only destroys what others have created to make it...
"better".
