VIEWPOINT: Have no fear, even though the Internet is already here

<p>We all fear that which we do not know or understand, and China has </p><p>apparently responded to the Internet out of this fear. But with the </p><p>medium in its infancy, surely the best move would be to work with, not </p><p>against, website owners and ISPs. As the saying goes, if you can't beat </p><p>them, join them </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Last week, China announced a new set of regulations aimed at maintaining </p><p>control over the Internet. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The new regulations made website owners liable to prosecution if state </p><p>secrets were posted or transmitted through their sites. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>More worryingly, the restrictions also extended to email users, who were </p><p>also forbidden from copying or transferring state secrets. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The immediate problems are obvious and two-fold: first, the definition </p><p>of what constitutes a state secret are deliberately vague, leading some </p><p>industry watchers to believe that this is a deliberate move on the part </p><p>of the authorities to allow them to prosecute anyone they wish to. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Secondly, how to enforce and police such restrictions? </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>As Mr Charles Mok, chairman of Hong Kong ISP HKNet observed, it is </p><p>impossible to know the content of every single website, chatroom or </p><p>email. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>In theory, you could. But how long would it take, and at what cost? </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>China's action on the issue of the Internet comes as little surprise to </p><p>anyone. It has always maintained stringent control over the media </p><p>operating in the country, and has frequently shut down those which it </p><p>deems subversive or unsuitable for public consumption. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The problem with the Internet is that by its very nature and the </p><p>rapidity of its development, trying to control it would be like trying </p><p>to carry water in a leaky bucket - it works for a while, but sooner or </p><p>later everything drips through the cracks. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>For advertisers and agencies, the issue is a potential minefield. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>It is a small step from controlling content to controlling advertising </p><p>banners and links - perhaps even marketing or branding websites. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>China's authorities are relying on website owners to police their own </p><p>content, and either delete or report possible infractions. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>At this stage, there appears to be no central body overseeing the </p><p>enforcement or interpretation of the new rules. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>This leaves just about everyone whistling in the dark. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>According to OutBlaze CEO But Yat Siu, even the Singapore government has </p><p>given up on attempts to gain total control of Internet access by its </p><p>citizens, because any moves along these lines would impede the </p><p>development of the medium. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>We all fear that which we do not know or understand, and China has </p><p>apparently responded to the Internet out of this fear. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>But with the medium in its infancy, surely the best move would be to </p><p>work with, not against, website owners and ISPs. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>As the saying goes, if you can't beat them, join them. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>And no one can beat the 'Net. </p><p><BR><BR> </p>