China Bans Running Your Own Email Server 304
Erwin_D writes "Under the guise of banning spam, China has ruled that running your own e-mail server has been banned, unless you have a license. To qualify for such a license, an 'e-mail service provider' must abide by some chilling rules: all e-mail must be stored for two months, and e-mail with discussing vaguely defined subject as network security or information security may not be transmitted. While the rules contains all the good measures we would all like to see to combat spam, such as prohibiting open relays and outlawing zombie network, the law is also geared toward controlling free speech. From the article: 'I believe that the intent to have an antispam regulation was a good one ... Unfortunately, it seems like during the policy formulation process, it got hijacked and went to one extreme.'"
Sensationalizing at its best (Score:5, Interesting)
"China's new rules also prohibit use of email to discuss certain vaguely defined subjects related to 'network security' and ' information security', "
From the regulation [isc.org.cn] that the article links to
taking advantage of emails to engage in activities which are detrimental to network and information security is strictly prohibited in accordance with related laws.
There is a big difference between "engaging in activities that are detrimental to information security" and "discussing information security"
But with a title like "China Outlaws Outlook" are you really surprised that they are sensationalizing it.
Surprising? (Score:1, Interesting)
Americans often forget... (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:That's the way it is... (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Sensationalizing at its best (Score:1, Interesting)
Re:That's the way it is... (Score:3, Interesting)
Same law in Denmark (Score:3, Interesting)
except here it is part of an "anti-terrorism" law package.
Re:spam is free speech (Score:2, Interesting)
It travels from a privately owned computer, over privately owned wire to my privately owned ISP which I then download from onto my privately owned computer. Where exactly does the email ever enter a public forum hence making it protected?
People can easily see my address from the street... does this give them the right to drop their trash on my lawn? No, they would be subject to a fine for littering. Even if it is a flier of some sort, espousing a political opinion, they will still be fined for littering. Same should apply to spammers.
Re:That's the way it is... (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:In other news (Score:2, Interesting)
However if anyone is thinking about using any Webmail for free speech in China all I can say is DON'T.
I don't care what country the webmail provider is in, it is not safe. What you post and what you read will be in clear text to the government.
I would suggest using a pgp encrypted data block embedded in a wav, mp3, or jpg file as a much safer way.
By the way (Score:5, Interesting)
this is true (Score:1, Interesting)
People really believe that, fervently, if you try to even bring the subject up that they might be wrong you are instantly a "communist" and "liberal" and "traitor" and so on. And they also more or less feel we should just "wipe out all them filthy raghead ay-rabs" along with some choice cuss words.
After the first few times I just shut up about it around here, too freaking dangerous with the brownshirts.
I can see why the military loves recruiting redneck young guys, pretty easy to get them to go in and wipe folks out, they actually *like* that idea. They get to be jocks with an attitude. Swaggering bullies. It doesn't matter what the reason might be, as long as they have "orders" from "superiors". That's the mindset they start out with, so it is easier to get them to go over the top. Then they demand "support our troops" or else, you are back at square one, you must be a traitor and liberal if you don't, etc.
Re:That's the way it is... (Score:3, Interesting)
I think what happened at Tiananman Square was a tragedy, but now imagine what would happen if you were to stop a US tank.. Even cops could shoot you if you didn't "freeze" right away.
Well, I guess I'm not so jaded yet that I think the US military would actually run over a single unarmed man after all the craziness had mostly died down.
I'd say that tank man was a troll while the camera man was just waiting to catch the pictures.
That's really hard to believe. The camera man was a western journalist filming inside his hotel room many blocks away. Tank man had no way of knowing he was being filmed. There was certainly no setup ahead of time.
The fact that he actually STOPPED the tank meant something.
Absolutely. And that's the same thing that people around the world saw from the picture and video as well. It's an extremely iconic picture to have one unarmed average joe stop a tank. It's literally one man against the state.
Marx and Business (Score:3, Interesting)
The primary theme of Das Kapital was the various ways in which the market undermines itself. A large number of business books have picked up on this theme and essentially teach business leaders that their goal is to undermine the market (or bust). In the dotcom market, you saw a large number of dotbombs play this game. To dominate the market, they sold goods at below cost
I loved MP3.com. This company had a great product for distributing music from independent musicians. They were even starting to attract big time musicians. The wanks in charge of the company decided that they had to dominate the music industry or perish. MP3.com bet the company on an idiotic "beam up" program that clearly violated copyrights of other publishers. The company was given a choice between turning off the program, or paying a $200m fine.
Having been taught to dominate or die in business schools. MP3.com chose "to die".
The primary theme of Marx's writings is the various ways that business undermines itself. When adapted to business schools, these writings become a recipe book on ways to undermine the market. Marxist thinking leads immediately to a Machiavellian market where business leaders spend their days trying to find ways to undercut their competition, their customers and employees.
Das Kapital is not about they way that you structure a utopian society. The book is about the various ways businesses tend to undermine their market and their community.
I am not saying that business leaders are Marxists, but that Marx has had a negative influence on the way we view business.