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China Now Blocking RSS Feeds

Posted by Zonk on from the keeping-things-simple dept.

Phurge passed us an Ars Technica link covering China's newest internet-based crackdown: RSS feeds. Real Simple Syndication has apparently been a fairly foolproof way to get around Chinese government censors in recent years. As long ago as August, though, access to feeds has been curtailed by the Great Firewall. "More recent reports tell us that the PSB appears to have extended this block to all incoming URLs that begin with 'feeds,' 'rss,' and 'blog,' thus rendering the RSS feeds from many sites — including ones that aren't blocked in China, such as Ars Technica — useless ... there are a few workarounds, some of which may be simpler than others. Some of our readers in China tell us that web-based feed aggregators, such as NewsGator Online, (sort of) help provide access to RSS feeds. One reader says that if he has the aggregator set to display the full post (or however much of the post is made available) and clicks through to read more, everything is just fine."

6 of 73 comments (clear)

  1. The ironic thing by Enlarged+to+Show+Tex · · Score: 3, Insightful

    All China really has to do in order to control information flow nationwide is to deregulate the media and force them to compete vigorously against one another. They'll be so cost-pressured that they can't really do any journalism; instead, they'll end up so short-staffed that all they can do is publish the stuff that the government wants them to publish.

    Barring that, the internet will simply detect the censorship and route around it, just like it always does...

    1. Re:The ironic thing by TheVelvetFlamebait · · Score: 2, Insightful

      All China really has to do in order to control information flow nationwide is to deregulate the media and force them to compete vigorously against one another. They'll be so cost-pressured that they can't really do any journalism; instead, they'll end up so short-staffed that all they can do is publish the stuff that the government wants them to publish.
      I think that's just a little too ironic to be true. Can you give us a case study? I would have thought that deregulation would just open up a flood of negative press, true or not. And besides, there are always crackpots who'll do some investigative journalism.

      Nope, if you want to censor the media, the iron fist has to come in somewhere.
      --
      You know, there is a difference between trolling and pointing out the flaws in your reasoning. Just saying.
  2. Workarounds are illegal in China... by Yahma · · Score: 2, Insightful

    While its interesting to find a workaround to the great firewall of China, one has to remember that it is illegal for a Chinese citizen to violate the Firewall. Furthermore, if you, as a foreigner are visiting China, it is just as illegal for you to bypass the Chinese Firewall.. If the authorities find out, you will likely face severe penalties. You have to ask yourself, is it worth it to read Slashdot or Ars RSS feeds, while you are on vacation in China? Perhaps you should wait till you get back, so you dont find yourself rotting away in a Chinese Prison.

  3. Why does China do this? by cryfreedomlove · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I thought Socialism was about the ideal of giving power to the people rather than an elite oligarchy. What the hell happened? Censorship usually comes from an insecure and weak oligarchy desperate to maintain privilege.

  4. Ever wonder... by kemushi88 · · Score: 2, Insightful

    ...if there are people in other countries talking about the "great US firewall" that we aren't even aware of?

    1. Re:Ever wonder... by cryfreedomlove · · Score: 5, Insightful

      No, I don't. Creating such a thing would require a large effort involving the collusion of thousands of people. Given that broad set of implementors, and the US traditions of freedom of the press, something like you describe would be impossible to keep secret. I don't doubt that there are probably several neo-fascist law makers in the US that would advocate for this. However, given what I have laid out, they would have to do it in the open rather than in secret.