Blogging Sweeps China

An anonymous reader writes "Dissident astro-physicist, Xiao Qiang, director of the China Internet Project at UC Berkeley, interviews Isaac Mao, founder of CNBlog for New Scientist. Asked what is his strategy to expand blogging under China's censorship regime, Mao's response is typically Taoist: 'What is our strategy? We do not have a strategy. But the information flow in the blogosphere has its own Way. The Way is our strategy: personal, fast, connected and networked.'"

Comments

Garbage no in, but garbage out

[Dancin_Santa]

China is one of those funny places where they really crack down on the incoming news. Taking a look at some of their latest news, it's hard to reconcile the rosy glow that they have in regards to their country with the actual happenings of their military overseas (submarine in Japanese waters) and communist neighbors (not a word about the imminent overthrow of Kim Jong Illmatic).

On the other hand, unlike many Western countries *cough cough* that send the secret police to "visit" people who wish to express an unpopular opinion, China allows its dissidents a full voice. They of course drown out the voices with their own party-led voices proclaiming the benefits of the Komintang. But as far as stifling free speech, China has one of the best records in that area.

Re:Garbage no in, but garbage out

[timeOday]

Those pictures from Abu Ghraib weren't rosy. NBC's footage of a marine point-blank executing a wounded, unarmed Iraqi weren't rosy.

It's hard to know how much of the full picture we are getting, but honestly, yes, I think we're getting more than most people in other times and other places.

What the hell?

[downbad]

What is our strategy? We do not have a strategy.
...
The Way is our strategy: personal, fast, connected and networked.

Right.

Sex

[Claire-plus-plus]

It is interesting that once again sex became the big reason many people have jumped on to a new technology. As that article said, blogging got a big boost from a sex blog, the sex increased visibility for the blog server and introduced many new users to blogging. It just seems to be a pity to me that people can't find something better than sex to get people to assert their collective voice.

Re:Sex

[Anonymous Coward]

Why?

Sex is THE fundamental drive of all life on earth. Why would it surprise you to find it at the top of most human agendas?

Re:Falun Gong

[mordors9]

it's about protecting citizens from illegal scams.

So Tianneman Square was just about protecting Chinese from spammers and scammers? Alrighty then.

Re:Pajamahadeen

[geeksgirl]

Shouldn't you be asking if mainstream media is accurate and trustworthy, assuming you're being sincere and not sarcastic of course?.

To answer your sincere question then, bloggers as a whole may not be accurate and trustworthy - can you really trust someone you barely know, except through the thoughts they choose to post online?

However, Bloggers do tell you about their lives, as they live it, about the things that happen in their country and how it affects them. So while blogs may lack decent grammar and spelling, it is at least, to me, a more realistic view of the average person's situation. (Note: this does not apply to the ravings of bored teenage girls with smiley addictions! - of which there are way too many in the blogosphere)