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China to Expand Internet Censorship

by jordan | March 13, 2007 at 07:52 pm | 411 views | add comment

Because censorship is like getting tattoos... just a little bit is never quite enough. The language used by Chinese officials in the following articles betrays a lack of understanding of the dynamic of the Internet itself. The Net cannot be "purified" through censorship, as the censored material is not actually destroyed. Ergo, as long as that material is out there, enterprising computer users can and will find a way to access it. Censors, be warned: you will fail sooner or later.

China will tighten controls on Internet blogs and Webcasts in a response to new technologies that have allowed cyber citizens to avoid government censorship efforts, state press reported Tuesday.

Following a call from President Hu Jintao in January to "purify" the Internet, the ruling Communist Party will introduce new regulations targeting blogs and Webcasts, one of the nation's chief censors was cited as saying.

"Advanced network technologies such as blogging and Webcasting have been mounting new challenges to the government's ability to supervise the Internet," Press and Publication Administration head Long Xinmin said, according to Xinhua news agency.

Long said the government was in the middle of drafting the new regulations.

No specific details of the new rules were reported, but Long said they would lead to "a more healthy and active Internet environment."

... as long as by "healthy" you mean "with Big Brother looming over your shoulder".

I was pointed toward this article by the good people at boingboing.net.