It looks like the Chinese government is prepared to go to significant lengths to control its citizens’ access to the Internet – and not necessarily for the right reasons. Apparently, Chinese computer vendors have recently been asked by the government to pre-install all computers with special filtering software that will restrict online pornography content as well as undesirable ‘propaganda’ such as politically sensitive websites.

It would appear that this is an extension of current Chinese efforts to control the online information flow into, out of and within the region. At present, China heavily discourages its people from viewing and authoring websites promoting issues such as pro-Tibetan independence, as well as those that may be openly critical of the Chinese government’s approach – particularly in regard to surpressing freedom of speech. Recently, and presumably due to fears of re-ignited emotions and public scrutiny, the Chinese government blocked Twitter and Hotmailaccess in the lead-up to the 20th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown.
In fact, Amnesty International reports that China “has the largest recorded number of imprisoned journalists and cyber-dissidents in the world.” Those incarcerated were targeted by Chinese authorities due to their involvement in activities such as communicating with foreign groups, opposing the persecution of the Falun Gong, signing online petitions, and calling for reform and an end to corruption.
Angry Chinese Blogger is just one example of a site that is critical of the Chinese government, and there are many others. In fact, while the Chinese government’s actions have been swift and severe to date, its ongoing efforts to reduce the flow of information will be a big challenge due to some fundamental traits of the Internet environment – immediacy, reach and anonymity. You can email it, Blog it, Twitter it, Skype it, instant-message it and so on…the possibilities are broad and effective. That said, the Chinese Internet police hae been deployed in great numbers (approximately 30,000) to counter the threat of free speech.
Given China’s mammoth population and powerful economic status, I cannot believe that the fundamental ethos of the Internet (as an open, global information-sharing and interaction medium) is being so aggressively undermined. I find it ironic that this globally-dominant country can be so elitist and backward in both its attitude towards, and actions against, the Internet and its users.
As someone once said: The desire to resist oppression is implanted in the nature of man…
Rob


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