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China Strengthens Internet Lockdown

Posted by timothy on from the how-totally-amazing dept.

ke4roh writes: "Reuters reports that China is 'boosting supervision and control' of online publishing, as reported by state newspapers. The Chinese Communist Party's control faces an unprecedented threat from present-day internet activity, the article says. Some key subjects to avoid: Tibet, Falun Gong, democracy in China, and porn."

16 comments

  1. Spam! by wheany · · Score: 1

    Just lock it tight enought to not let any SPAM trough, and I'll be happy.

    1. Re:Spam! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Maybe we could use open relays in China to spam "Free Tibet" messages. That might finally get the relays closed down. Nearly all the spam I receive is laundered in China.

  2. P2P? by 4of12 · · Score: 2

    So I wonder if P2P networks be used to disseminate information that is regarded as politically incorrect?

    Honestly, the promotion of free expression is more a gift of the academic origins of the internet than of the corporate uptake of it.

    If we'd all been networked via bulletin board systems like AOL, Prodigy and MSN, there'd have been a lot less freedom of expression than there is now.

    --
    "Provided by the management for your protection."
    1. Re:P2P? by John+Hasler · · Score: 2


      Honestly, the promotion of free expression is
      more a gift of the academic origins of the
      internet than of the corporate uptake of it.

      You evidently weren't around when NSF was in control.

      If we'd all been networked via bulletin board
      systems like AOL, Prodigy and MSN, there'd have
      been a lot less freedom of expression than there
      is now.

      If we'd all been networked via a descendant of UUCP, there'd have been a lot more freedom of expression than there is now.

      --
      Warning: this article may contain humor, sarcasm, parody, and perhaps even irony. Read at your own risk.
  3. One of these links is not like the other... by torinth · · Score: 2

    Some key subjects to avoid: Tibet, Falun Gong, democracy in China, and porn.

    What, no link for the last one?

    -Andrew

    1. Re:One of these links is not like the other... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Bah, humbug. I was going to make that joke :)

  4. weapon race by jilles · · Score: 2

    It was a weapon race that brought down the soviet communist system and it will be a weapon race on the internet that will bring down the communist system in China.

    Forced by economic circumstances, (they have over a billion mouths to feed), they have been changing their economic system. The changes include reducing government influence in some area, allowing for private companies and reducing corruption. However it also means connecting to the internet. If you want to do business with the west you need to be able to send and receive email, shop using ecommerce sites, etc. That implies adopting a massive network infrastructure and using it. China is doing that. However, that also means opening the door to uninvited internet activity: free speech.

    China tries to block, the technology evolves, china tries to block harder, .... The end is predictable & inevitable (resistance is futile ... :-), China will face the choice to either disconnect or lighten up. The sooner they make that choice the better it is for them. As long as they don't make the choice they are falling behind. That will hurt them economically.

    --

    Jilles
    1. Re:weapon race by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It was the reforms of Gorbachev that brought the soviet union down.
      Capitailism (fascism) wont give China any kind of freedom, Russia is now capitalist and their country is worse off than it was under Stalin. If you want to do business with the west you have to hope that U$ wont exclude you just because you do business differently than they do, or give into U$.

      China could block technology as long as they want to. Capitalism blocks technology in all forms and it hasn't had to "give in" unless it wants to.

    2. Re:weapon race by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      history and time have brought the soviets where they were today. if Stalin were in charge now things could hardly improve...

  5. License by Steve+Cox · · Score: 2
    Scary that the websites need a license. Imaging trying to do that on a global scale. How many hours would it take to scan + license the pages in google?

    I see that China Daily is licensed as number 20100000002731 - they actually put a scan of the license on the site.

    Steve.

  6. On Tibet, by ke4roh · · Score: 1

    Lewis M. Simmons offered this insight in a recent National Geographic article (teaser): China would no sooner cede Tibet to Tibetans than the U.S. would cede South Dakota to the Sioux.

    --
    I hate call waitin`~+~~~
    NO CARRIER
    1. Re:On Tibet, by aminorex · · Score: 2

      The tibetans don't even want to leave China.
      Ask the Dalai Lama if you don't believe me.
      The real issue is that vajrayana buddhism is being
      suppressed, a hereditary caste system is being
      imposed, and there is no freedom of dissent under
      the current Han regime. Fix those problems, and
      Tibet can be a happy province of greater China.
      Until then, expect resistance and "terrorism".

      But it's really an unfair comparison, since South
      Dakota is not a border state.

      --
      -I like my women like I like my tea: green-
    2. Re:On Tibet, by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Shouldn't South Dakota go to the Dakotas? (hey, if I'm wrong, you can sioux me!).

      AC #5421

  7. Nice post by marcus · · Score: 1

    Nice to hear another voice with an understanding of the situation. Many people have been up in arms about our trade agreements with China without realizing that we are attacking them with the most powerful and simultaneously the most subtle, indefensible and well directed weapon(no "collateral damage") we have.

    If we dropped trade with China, it would be the equivalent of ordering our troops to stop fighting while in the middle of a battlefield.

    --
    Good judgement comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgement.
    - W. Wriston, former Citibank CEO
  8. No panacea in itself by xixax · · Score: 2
    If the firewalling is at all effective, it may be the easiest way to disseminate information. But possessing such software or engaging in suspicious patterns of network activity (not using port 80 to connect to approved domains, etc) are going to get people in as much trouble. Hence the interest in things such as steganography. It'll also stick out more if the corporations manage to squash P2P as a haven for copyright violators, the haystack will be that much smaller.

    We recently had a presentation from a company that sells software used to spot suspicious insurance claims. I can't see any reason why the same methods couldn't be applied to spotting suspicious patterns of Internet usage (provided people are not able to do things like use 'net Cafes anonymously).

    I'm really glad we're not living in that kind of world yet...

    Xix.

    --
    "Everything is adjustable, provided you have the right tools"