Solid Oak Software of California says that Chinese developers copied parts of its CYBERsitter Internet filter program for use in a state mandated Internet blockade project called Green Dam. The US firm has therefore demanded billions in damages for violation of copyright through a Los Angeles court. Law firm Gipson Hoffman & Pancione says that Solid Oak Software is asking for a total of $2.2 billion in damages. The plaintiffs are the People's Republic of China, "Zhengzhou Jinhui Computer System Engineering Ltd." and "Beijing Dazheng Human Language Technology Academy Ltd." along with seven computer manufacturers who sold computers on which the controversial filter software was installed: Sony, Lenovo, Toshiba, Acer, Asustek, BenQ and Haier.
In the spring of 2009, China handed down a decree stipulating that every new PC sold in the country had to have the "Green Dam Youth Escort" filter software installed on it, or the software had to at least be included on a disk. Back then, the Chinese government argued that the software, which it had financed, was intended to help protect minors from pornography and all Chinese citizens from content deemed dangerous for them. Schools and public facilities were instructed to install the Green Dam software on their computers immediately.