US software firm sues Chinese PC makers over piracy claims
By Zhu Shenshen |
January 7, 2010, Thursday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
A UNITED States software maker is suing China's government and seven personal computer makers, including Lenovo, seeking massive compensation of US$2.2 billion.
The company is alleging in the US District Court for California's Central District that China's government-supported Internet content filtering software pirated its code, Shanghai Daily learned yesterday.
China originally planned to require all newly sold computers to carry the Green Dam Youth Escort Internet filtering system starting from July 1 last year.
However, authorities abandoned the plan after widespread concern among Netizens and PC makers.
The huge American compensation case is expected to fail in court because the software pre-installation number was much less than believed, according to analysts.
Cybersitter LLC, which designs software to help parents filter content seen by children, made the allegations in the lawsuit that also names Sony and Toshiba.
The PC makers distributed the Green Dam program even after learning of allegations the content filters were illegally copied, Cybersitter alleged in the claim.
"This lawsuit aims to strike a blow against the all-too-common practice of foreign software manufacturers and distributors who believe that they can violate the intellectual property rights of small American companies," said Cybersitter attorney Greg Fayer.
Lenovo, China's biggest PC vendor, declined to comment on the issue directly.
"Lenovo no longer ships a Green Dam CD with every PC it sells in China, and has not done so for months," Lenovo said in a statement delivered to Shanghai Daily yesterday.
Sony has also stopped distributing Green Dam copies with new computers.
The defendants allegedly continued to distribute millions of copies of Green Dam, Cybersitter said.
The lawsuit alleges misappropriation of trade secrets, unfair competition, copyright infringement and conspiracy.
"It's interesting because no one cares about Green Dam today," said an official in the PC industry, who declined to be identified.
Green Dam, developed by the Zhengzhou-based Jinhui Computer System Engineering Co, caused widespread controversy after concerns were raised over security loopholes, negative effects on computer performance and its intrusion into personal privacy.
The Green Dam software is still installed in somepublic venues, such as schools and Internet cafes.
The company is alleging in the US District Court for California's Central District that China's government-supported Internet content filtering software pirated its code, Shanghai Daily learned yesterday.
China originally planned to require all newly sold computers to carry the Green Dam Youth Escort Internet filtering system starting from July 1 last year.
However, authorities abandoned the plan after widespread concern among Netizens and PC makers.
The huge American compensation case is expected to fail in court because the software pre-installation number was much less than believed, according to analysts.
Cybersitter LLC, which designs software to help parents filter content seen by children, made the allegations in the lawsuit that also names Sony and Toshiba.
The PC makers distributed the Green Dam program even after learning of allegations the content filters were illegally copied, Cybersitter alleged in the claim.
"This lawsuit aims to strike a blow against the all-too-common practice of foreign software manufacturers and distributors who believe that they can violate the intellectual property rights of small American companies," said Cybersitter attorney Greg Fayer.
Lenovo, China's biggest PC vendor, declined to comment on the issue directly.
"Lenovo no longer ships a Green Dam CD with every PC it sells in China, and has not done so for months," Lenovo said in a statement delivered to Shanghai Daily yesterday.
Sony has also stopped distributing Green Dam copies with new computers.
The defendants allegedly continued to distribute millions of copies of Green Dam, Cybersitter said.
The lawsuit alleges misappropriation of trade secrets, unfair competition, copyright infringement and conspiracy.
"It's interesting because no one cares about Green Dam today," said an official in the PC industry, who declined to be identified.
Green Dam, developed by the Zhengzhou-based Jinhui Computer System Engineering Co, caused widespread controversy after concerns were raised over security loopholes, negative effects on computer performance and its intrusion into personal privacy.
The Green Dam software is still installed in somepublic venues, such as schools and Internet cafes.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
