China appears to cave in to public pressure by announcing that computer users are not required to install Internet-filtering software - though it will still come with all PCs sold on the mainland.

A Ministry of Industry and Information Technology official reached by telephone told The Associated Press that use of the "Green Dam Youth Escort" software is "not compulsory". He would not give his name as is customary with Chinese officials.

The apparent reversal of the government's position marked a small victory for a burgeoning anti-censorship movement in China. Internet users in particular have expressed growing frustration with official efforts to monitor and restrict online content.

Although the government says the software is aimed at blocking violence and pornography, users who have tried it say it prevents access beyond those topics to discussions of homosexuality, images of comic book characters, mentions of the banned Falun Gong spiritual group and, according to Hong Kong media reports, images of pigs because the software confuses them with naked human flesh.

The government had said the new software must be packaged with all computers sold in China beginning July 1, and installation was widely believed to be required. However, state media reported on Tuesday that computer users are free to decide whether to use the new software.