Leaked CAC directives mention circumvention tools

[wkrp]

Yesterday, 2022-11-29, the Twitter account 李老师不是你老师 @whyyoutouzhele posted two apparently leaked directives (archive) from the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC, 中华人民共和国国家互联网信息办公室). China Digital Times has archived and translated the directives.

The directives are notable because they talk about blocking circumvention tools and ways of getting access to them. Apparently this part of the government considers management of circumvention an emergency, in light of recent public protests. They also list upcoming dates that they consider sensitive:

• November 30, one-week anniversary of Ürümqi apartment fire
• December 9, International Anti-Corruption Day
• December 10, International Human Rights Day

https://chinadigitaltimes.net/chinese/690367.html

网信办 2022-11-29 18:11:55 深入清理整治涉“翻墙”工具、商品和服务的通知（每日12时前报送） 按照前期工作要求，请各平台深入清理整治涉“翻墙”工具： 一是电商平台继续保持对网售涉“翻墙”等商品和服务进行专项清理的工作力度，如：翻墙路由器、VPN、加速器、VPS、境外苹果账号等； 二是各应用商店、网盘摸排清理下架有关违规“翻墙”软件和工具； 三是音视频和自媒体等UGC平台清理传授“翻墙”“科学上网”技巧和破关方法等有害内容； 四是各搜索引擎继续对“翻墙”相关搜索结果及涉传播“翻墙”“科学上网”等引导词进行清理； 五是每日12时前报送24小内处置信息数据：同时梳理报送封禁信息中包含的翻墙软件名称(如含翻墙软件安装包，请附带)和翻墙服务器P地址，分别列出

https://chinadigitaltimes.net/chinese/690363.html

网信办 2022-11-29 18:13:42 11月29日网信办视频调度会议： 1、昨日牛部长召开全国网信系统调度会议，根据工作需要动一级互联网应急响应，最高级别对待，主要负责人亲自上手，加强审核。各省最近情况突出，对于线下滋扰信息，境外信息倒灌，要最快发现、最快处置、最快报告。 2、1124事故引发各种不满，上海出现恶性政治口号，高校学生政治性聚集明显，境外媒体抹黑增多，各网站加强审核。 3、舆情管控，对于冲卡、聚集性，尤其涉高校内容从严管控，增强前置审核，严查煽动性账号。 4、强调保密纪律，工作指令不得泄露 5、昨晚境外炒作在海淀黄庄聚集性事件，今日指向朝阳亚运村等地区，重点矣注，快发现快报告。 6、明日11月30日1124死难头七、12.9（国际反腐日)12.10（国际人权日）等敏感时间节点重点关注、严格把控，加强前置审核。 7、针对居民闹事或有指向性的内容及时发现上报。 8、北京市涉疫舆情重点关注。

https://chinadigitaltimes.net/2022/11/minitrue-three-leaked-censorship-directives-target-anti-lockdown-protests-and-censorship-circumvention-tools/

Cyberspace Administration of China 2022-11-29 18:11:55

Notification: Thorough Clean-up and Regulation of Firewall-circumvention Tools, Goods and Services (Submit daily feedback before 12:00 noon)

In line with a previous assessment of the situation, all platforms are requested to carry out a thorough clean-up and regulation of tools used to bypass the Firewall:

First, e-commerce platforms should continue their concerted efforts to clean up online sales of goods and services used to circumvent the Firewall. These include Firewall-circumvention routers, VPNs, web accelerators, VPS [virtual private servers], overseas Apple accounts, etc.

Second, thoroughly investigate, clean up and remove all illegal Firewall-circumvention software or tools from app stores and file-hosting services.

Third, UGC [“user-generated content”] platforms that share user-generated or self-published audiovisual material should clean up harmful content that instructs users in circumvention techniques, such as “Firewall circumvention,” “accessing the Internet scientifically,” etc.

Fourth, all search engines should continue implementing a clean-up of search results related to bypassing the Firewall, and limit the spread of keywords such as “Firewall circumvention,” “accessing the Internet scientifically,” etc.

Fifth, each day before 12:00 noon, submit daily feedback for the previous 24-hour period. At the same time, when submitting recommendations for content to be banned, please include the name of the circumvention software (and attach the software installation package, if available) and the IP address of the server used to circumvent the Firewall. List these separately.

Cyberspace Administration of China 2022-11-29 18:13:42

November 29 Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) management coordination videoconference:

1. Yesterday, Minister Niu [Niu Yibing, deputy director of the Office of the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission] held a National Cyberspace Administration System management coordination videoconference. Based on the current situation, it was deemed necessary to initiate a Level I Internet Emergency Response, the highest level of content management. Key managers should take a hands-on approach, and strengthen content management. Given the recent high-profile events in various provinces, information about offline disturbances and backflows of overseas information must be rapidly identified, dealt with, and reported.
2. The incident on November 24 triggered expressions of various grievances; pernicious political slogans appeared in Shanghai; college and university students held conspicuous political gatherings; smears by foreign media increased; and various websites have strengthened their content management.
3. Public opinion management and control: err on the side of strict management and control of content related to public gatherings, people rushing COVID checkpoints, and particularly content related to colleges and universities. Strengthen preliminary auditing, and stringently investigate incendiary accounts.
4. Emphasize discipline and discretion, and do not allow work instructions to be leaked.
5. Last night, there was overseas hype about a public gathering in Huangzhuang, Haidian district [Beijing]. Today, the direction seems to be Yayuncun [Asian Games Village] and other areas in Chaoyang district. Pay careful attention to this, and promptly identify and report related content.
6. Tomorrow, November 30, marks one week since the deaths that occurred on November 24; December 9 is International Anti-Corruption Day; and December 10 is International Human Rights Day. Pay careful attention to these and other sensitive dates, maintain strict controls, and strengthen preliminary content audits.
7. Promptly identify and report content aimed at stirring up public sentiment or any such similarly “targeted” content.
8. Focus on public opinion about the pandemic in Beijing.

[wang-songbo]

These directives are partially confirmed by this WSJ article (original, archived).

officials were also told to ask Chinese search engines, e-commerce companies and internet content platforms to conduct a fresh sweep to remove sales postings and information about how to use virtual private networks, also known as VPNs, according to people familiar with the matter. The regulator also asked officials to get companies to prevent searches related to VPNs, which were used by protesters and their supporters to circulate videos of the recent demonstrations, the people said.

[nirui]

Genuine question: how do you pronounce CAC? The most appreciate one that I found was kæk or kŏk, not sure if it's correct. Any other suggestions?