By Gao
Gang
The two earthquakes that shook the South China Sea on December
26, 2006 were a huge shock to my colleagues and me. Although we
didn't physically experience the tremors at our homes in Beijing,
thousands of miles from the epicenter, its magnitude was evident
from the instant disruption it caused to major Internet services.
Serious damage to undersea cable networks, among them the US-China
Cable Network, Apstar 1, Apstar 2, FLAG, FINAL and SMW3, as a
result of the earthquakes prevented the transmission of much
international and regional information. The temporary loss of the
MSN service, a main channel of communication for China's netizens,
was devastating. I generally use MSN for instant online
conversations with colleagues and students, as well as my son, who
is studying in the US. Life during the one-week loss of this tool
of rapid communication seemed staid and colorless. It brought home
to me just how indispensable the Internet has become within the
basic infrastructure of human civilization.
Achievements in Internet communication over the past decade or
so, in the fields of computer, telecommunications and network
technology, demonstrate the enormous development potential of
modern information technology, and the revolutionary changes to
information dissemination the Internet has brought to
humankind.
Development of the Internet integrates countries of the world,
breaking regional, ideological and time boundaries. It is human
civilization's commonly constructed, known and shared digital
information space. Continuously developing Internet technology
clearly demonstrates that network information dissemination is a
mode of communication that embraces all regions, fields and social
groups, and that multi-media capabilities energize network
services. Databases constitute basic support for many information
services, while information receivers actively participate in the
creation and dissemination of information. The information industry
is expanding and the mode of information production is undergoing
reform. Large amounts of social data emerge daily, and new,
hitherto undreamt of methods of information distribution abound.
Communication barriers are gradually breaking down, allowing
exploration of the means to a better life and stimulation of an
ever-higher intelligence potential.
No one today is in any doubt that the Internet constitutes a
virtual society. Internet information technology has created a
digital civilization in cyber space with all the features and
functions of human civilization. It exists according to its own
rules of operation, at the same time progressing in tandem with
actual society. Reality and virtual space now function on the basis
of symbiotic energy exchange.
Digital virtual space, in common with actual life, thrives on
multiple forms of nurture, in the forms of input, a secure
environment and order.
We have already witnessed and benefited from the many
conveniences and services rendered by the Internet. Along with the
miracle it has created in our lives, however, it also brings
danger, troubles, worries and conundrums. The Internet is a source
of crime and harmful information that pollutes the innocent and
injures lives.
Since the Internet integrated the entire world into one big
body, the network information dissemination system has become a
main component of continued human existence and security. As
various countries each have their own culture, legislature, value
systems and language, upholding an equable network environment is a
major challenge.
Maintaining a safe digital network environment is the
responsibility of Internet technology and content providers.
I believe that a discipline, based on safeguarding the Internet
environment through formulation of an ecological network, is
imminent.
The Internet belongs to all humankind. The Internet information
environment issue, therefore, is one that encompasses the
construction and protection of the entire global environment. We
must, therefore, focus our attention on international cooperation
in this regard.
There is much work to do in promoting international cooperation
within the Internet environment. In my opinion, it starts on the
premise of common recognition of the goals and responsibilities of
global Internet information dissemination.
The Internet has become an accepted infrastructure facility
within human society. As such, the following principles of Internet
information dissemination should be internationally
acknowledged.
The Principle of Maintaining Safe Internet
Operation: As a basic feature of human civilization
infrastructure, the Internet must guarantee international safety.
The Internet is a facility for information communication and
exchange that faces similar artificial and actual threats as other,
more tangible infrastructure facilities. The purpose of both is to
maintain human existence and social order. The international
community, therefore, must set up a unified coordination system in
order to maintain Internet safety.
The Principle of Respecting Diverse Cultures:
We must respect the right of various countries and ethnic groups to
describe, and express opinions on, their living environment; also
their freedom to promote specific ideals and pursuits. All
countries, ethnicities and cultures have the right to exist and
develop within the world of Internet information. It acts as a
platform for different cultures to learn about, communicate with
and understand one other, in order to live in harmony.
The Principle of Protecting the Young: The
Internet is a world of information. It performs the same educative
function as schools and libraries. The Internet provides the
information that enables young people to increase their knowledge
of science and culture, train their life skills and achieve their
ideals and dreams. We must, therefore, construct a healthy
information environment for minors.
The Principle of Providing Useful Information:
Internet content providers are under an obligation to provide
information that helps us better understand our living environment,
optimize our living conditions and attain life skills. Information
of this caliber heightens standards of human civilization and
contributes to human progress.
The Principle of Restraining Harmful
Information: We must seek every means and adopt all
methods necessary to reject and eliminate information that is
detrimental to the principle of human virtue, the spirit of human
civilization and the common pursuits of humankind. Information that
poisons and destroys our living environment must be dispelled.
The Principle of Promoting Shared Information:
Unbalanced economic development among various countries and
ethnicities of the world is a main cause of international
instability. Similar imbalances exist as regards the Internet, in
its capacity of a new form of resources and civilization. Such
inequalities are defined as the "digital gap." International
society must pay attention to the dangers arising during the
construction of an information environment. It must summon greater
efforts towards providing better conditions for Internet
infrastructure construction, information dissemination, and service
development. An information base aimed at the common development of
all nations in the Internet information era will enable us to share
more effectively our material achievements as well as our
heightened spiritual civilization. This will, in turn, achieve
better understanding and closer cooperation among different
communities.
The diverse cultures, legislatures, value systems and languages
of the world's nations often act as barriers to international
Internet cooperation. I nonetheless believe that as the Internet is
the common wealth of humankind, international society is under a
serious obligation to cooperate in safeguarding it.
We are all gratified at the extent of current international
cyber cooperation.
In February 2004, the CNCERT/CC signed a cooperation agreement
with the JPCERT. Prior to this, China confirmed its cooperation
with the ROK. China is a member of FIRST, an organization with more
than 200 member countries and regions. It is also a founding member
of the APCERT.
On December 15, 2006, the China National Copyright
Administration, the Motion Picture Association of America, the
Business Software Alliance, the Association of American Publishers
and Britain's Publishers' Association jointly signed a Memorandum
of Understanding on the Establishment of a Coordination Mechanism
for Online Copyright Protection in Beijing. Its aim is to
strengthen international concord, as regards online copyright
protection, and to combat the availability of pirated films,
software, audio and video products and word documents on the
Internet.
In Beijing on June 16, 2007, Internet information centers in
China, Germany, the UK, the US, the ROK, Japan and Singapore
jointly signed the Beijing Declaration. All expressed willingness
to enhance exchanges and communication, and reached unanimous
agreement on domain name administration.
In September of 2007, the Seventh International Conference on
Cyber Crime organized by the International Criminal Police
Organization was held in New Delhi. Its theme was the upcoming
capacity of cyber-police to prevent and combat Internet crime.
We believe that deeper international understanding and accord on
Internet information dissemination will act as a guarantee of
common action to ensure a safer Internet environment.
China and the US are two nations prominent in the cyber world.
The US is a major force in Internet infrastructure facility
research and development, while China is a main force in Internet
technology applications. Our two countries shoulder important
responsibilities in construction of the cyber communications
environment. Our respective Internet information dissemination
practices have shown us the many wonders of the Internet, and at
the same time its problems and conundrums. The experience we have
had and the lessons we have learned, shared by countless Internet
surfers, have contributed to our immense growth in the field.
The Internet is rapidly changing the world we live in. Less than
10 media organizations participated in the First Internet Media
Seminar held in China in 1997. At that time, no more than 10 media
websites operated under independent domain names. Today, almost all
Chinese media have established their own platforms of Internet
information dissemination and operation. In October this year, the
School of Journalism of Renmin University of China, China Central
Television and Cisco jointly constructed a TV broadcasting center
at the Renmin University with Internet technology as its core
infrastructure facility. China Central Television produced
Us, a large-scale talk show, in this hall. It used Cisco
Telepresence technology to interview people in various parts of the
world, and ask their opinions on current topics related to China's
development. Students from the School of Journalism participated in
the production of this program, learning in the process about TV
program production as supported by Internet information
technology.
Cisco President John Chambers recorded the first show in the
series on October 1. His topic was the influence of the Internet
environment on young people.
It is an inspiring subject that embraces the news media, science
and technology enterprises, education organizations, Chinese and
American people, media communication, technology applications and
education processes. These formerly discrete, independent entities
with no overlap today blend on one platform – the Internet. This
indicates to us how the Internet enables all human beings to get to
know, understand and work with each other, and realize the common
but diverse goals of the humankind.
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Profile of Mr. Gao Gang
Professor and Executive Dean, School of Journalism, Renmin
University of China.
Gao is also Executive Director of All-China Journalists'
Association, President of the Journalism and Communication Branch
of China Higher Education Association, and Director of Beijing
Internet Media Association. In 1976 he was awarded his BA degree
after completing his study in the Chinese Language Department at
Peking University. He then moved on to study journalism at Renmin
University and in 1987 he was awarded his MA. From 1988 to 1989, he
fulfilled a post as a visiting scholar with the Department of
Journalism at University of Arizona.
In the course of his 25-year career in journalism, he held
positions with Beijing Daily, Spring Breezes Magazine, Worker
Daily and Huasheng Magazine. Since 1996 Gao has been
active in the realm of Internet media, including the founding of
the Huasheng Magazine website.
Gao has been professor with the School of Journalism at Renmin
University since September 2003.
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(China.org.cn December 4, 2007)