China Moves to Tighten Data Controls

China is on the verge of requiring telecommunications companies and Internet service providers to halt and report leaks of what the government deems to be state secrets, the latest in a series of moves intended to strengthen the government’s control over private communications.The proposed amendment to the state secrets law, reported Tuesday by the state news media, defines a state secret broadly and loosely as information that, if disclosed, would damage China’s security or interests in political, economic, defense and other realms.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/28/world/asia/28china.htmlAlso see:China set to tighten state-secrets law forcing Internet firms to inform on users [AP]
China is poised to strengthen a law requiring telecommunications and Internet companies to inform on customers who discuss state secrets, potentially forcing businesses to collaborate with the country’s vast, dissent-stifling security apparatus.The move, reported Tuesday by state media, comes as China continues tightening controls on communications services. It follows a dispute over censorship that prompted Google last month to move its Chinese site to Hong Kong, which provides broader protection of civil liberties than does mainland China.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/27/AR2010042704503.html
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2010/04/27/international/i001252D64.DTL
news.brisbanetimes.com.au/breaking-news-technology/china-wants-telecom-companies-to-inform-on-clients-20100427-tq89.html
http://www.smh.com.au/technology/enterprise/china-wants-telcos-to-dob-on-clients-20100428-tr0b.html
http://www.theage.com.au/technology/enterprise/china-wants-telcos-to-dob-on-clients-20100428-tr0b.html