China and Internet Censorship

The internet has placed China in a dilemma. On one hand, China wants to present to the international community as a progressive nation, in all aspects. That was demonstrated by the extent that China focused on the Beijing Olympics. The drawback to technology is that the Chinese government authorities lose control of the dissemination of information.

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China Re-Institutes Internet Censorship

The relaxing of controls and the appearance of openness for the Olympic Games seems to have been temporary. China has re-instituted controls on internet access and has begun blocking web sites again:

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The Extent of Melamine Contamination

The number of companies in China who have used the chemical melamine to contaminate the food supply is overwhelming. It is not just a few illegal, rogue operations:

“…In the last two months, China has closed 238 animal feed companies for melamine-related violations and destroyed an estimated 3,682 tons of substandard feed, RIA Novosti reported.”

link: China goes after tainted feed producers

There may be some businesses that use melamine and have not been caught yet. One also has to keep in mind that the Chinese government has a firm control of the news. The full extent of the problem may never be know because of these government restraints. However, even the number of businesses identified now as using melamine is stunning.

Catherine Forsythe

Melamine Found in Eggs

Melamine was the chemical implicated in the tainted milk scandal that has made thousands of children sick in China. Some children have died as a result. Now, melamine has been found in eggs:

“Authorities in a northeastern Chinese city on Wednesday vowed severe punishment for those responsible for melamine-tainted eggs turning up in Hong Kong, as the health scare spread to another city in eastern China.”

link: China vows penalties as melamine eggs scare spreads

This could implicate a myriad of products. Consider the number of products that are made with eggs. These egg products have domestic and international distribution. The recall could cover a spectrum of products. The frightening variable is that the full extent of the problem may not be known because of China’s close control of the media.

Catherine Forsythe

China Censors iTunes

The Times is reporting that China is censoring Apple’s iTunes:

“Apple’s online music store, iTunes, has been blocked in China after more than 40 Olympic athletes downloaded a pro-Tibet album from the site.

Consumers in China began inundating Apple help forums on Monday, saying that they could not access iTunes…”

link: China blocks iTunes over all-star Tibet album free download

The questions becomes ‘how did China know what was being downloaded?’. It points to issues of privacy, security and surveillance. It seems that China’s political policies do not exclude Olympic athletes.

Catherine Forsythe

Internet Censorship During the Beijing Olympics

Even before the first Olympic events begin, China has caused a major controversy. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) was led to believe that China’s censorship protocols would be relaxed during the Olympic Games. The IOC was wrong:

“China is to maintain its censorship of overseas websites even for journalists covering the Beijing Olympics, undermining earlier claims by the International Olympic Committee that international media would enjoy unfettered internet access during the Games.

Beijing routinely blocks access to thousands of overseas websites considered politically or socially suspect as part of a sprawling and secretive internet censorship system…”

link: China limits Olympics journalists’ web access

When the Olympic Games begin, China will be the focus of the international community. The internet was designed to be able to be re-routed in case of problems. It will be interesting to see what will happen when international hackers, both ‘white hat’ hackers and ‘black hat’ hackers, rise up to the challenge of sending blocked sites into China.

The censorship should come as no surprise to the IOC. The Olympic Committee should know by now that politics always trumps athletic competition.

Catherine Forsythe

China Tops Internet Community

By far, the number of people online from China is the highest of any nation in the world. It exceeds the number of online citizens from the United States and the growth of the internet in China will continue at a unprecedented rate:

“…More than 253 million people in the country are now online, according to statistics from the China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC).

The figure is higher than the 223 million that the US mustered in June, according to Nielsen Online.”

link: China becomes biggest net nation

As the internet grows in China, it will reshape the culture. It will to impossible for the Chinese government to exercise the strict media control that it once had. The government may try to restrict web sites and access. However, information will trickle into the country. It will be beyond the government’s control, for example, to censor and restrict email content. A Chinese citizen with an internet connection has access to people and ideologies beyond the government’s control. That same Chinese citizen also has rapid communication with fellow countrymen. The internet provides the underpinnings of a cultural revolution.

The internet issues for China in the technological age will be similar to western cultures. Governments and net citizens will clash on issues such as privacy, security and surveillance. The contrast is that these issues will have far more lethal implications in China.

Catherine Forsythe

Internet Sites Blocked at Denver Airport

The Wi-Ffi is free at the Denver International Airport. However, some sites are not accessible. They are blocked because they are “considered provocative”:

“…A report in The Denver Post says the airport is blocking Vanity Fair magazine’s Web site, the hipster site boingboing.net and others.”

link: Airport blocks some Internet sites

The intent of this action may be well meaning. However, is this not basically censorship?

Catherine Forsythe
Director of Operations
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