China Blocks iTunes

eldavojohn writes "If you like iTunes and you are one of the billion people residing in China, you may have noticed that you no longer have access to the eight million songs on it. An album, 'Songs for Tibet' was downloaded more than 40 times by Olympic athletes as a sign of solidarity for Tibet's cause. Ironically, this compilation had songs criticizing the 'Great Firewall of China,' and that is the very thing that prohibited these songs from reaching the Chinese public. Artists on the compilation include Alanis Morissette, Garbage, Imogen Heap, Moby, Sting, Suzanne Vega, Underworld and others." Additional coverage is available at Computerworld. Earlier this year, China blocked Youtube and other video services for similar reasons. More recently, the Chinese government detained a technologist who planned a pro-Tibet demonstration.

Comments

this is getting interesting

[extirpater]

One day China's great firewall will block itself because it includes word "tibet" in it's blocking rules.

Re:this is getting interesting

[sethstorm]

Include Tibet(as well as things that would keep the developing world out) as a major part of an mmo. Their own country won't let them play the game.

Re:this is getting interesting

[Fred_A]

Oooo! Or, we could fill up Tienanmen square with peaceful people in protest.

No, this is bound to work :
"'Songs for Tibet' was downloaded more than 40 times by Olympic athletes as a sign of solidarity for Tibet's cause"

If this doesn't make the world take the notice, nothing will. I mean *40 times*, that's probably as many as 40 people. Downloading an album from iTunes. Now *that's* solidarity !

Take that China !

Re:this is getting interesting

[hey!]

One day China's great firewall will block itself because it includes word "tibet" in it's blocking rules.

Where have you gone, Mr. Spock?

A nation turns it's lonely eyes to you...

Re:this is getting interesting

[initialE]

Step 1: declare a song for Tibet as your (temporary) national anthem
Step 2: win olympic gold ...

To be fair to China

[MrHanky]

Blocking an album containing Alanis Morissette, Garbage, Moby and Sting is probably preventing human rights violations as much as it contributes to them. Isn't that ironic?

Re:To be fair to China

[tyle]

Blocking an album containing Alanis Morissette, Garbage, Moby and Sting is probably preventing human rights violations as much as it contributes to them. Isn't that ironic?

It's like rain on your wedding day, It's a free ride when you've already paid, It's the good advice that you just didn't take, Who would've thought ... it figures

Re:To be fair to China

[earthbound kid]

In fairness to China, they make the iPod, so they should get a veto over what crap people listen to on it.

Re:To be fair to China

[NoPantsJim]

Isn't that ironic?

...Don't ya think?

Re:Slashdot in China

[Anonymous Coward]

I am also reading /. and I am in Beijing, there is now way they would ever block access to sl

Re:Slashdot in China

[vic-traill]

http://barrapunto.com/ I believe the title literally translates to "Slashdot"

And hey, if you Google translate barrapunto.com from Spanish to English, it's more better grammar, too!

http://translate.google.ca/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fbarrapunto.com%2F&sl=es&tl=en&hl=en&ie=UTF-8

Re:Every country has a different threshold

[Anonymous Coward]

Unless they're criminals. :P

Re:Western Romanticism

[Anonymous Coward]

Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party.

1. WE are in control Muthafucker
2. 40 million dead and counting.
3. Don't make me re-educate you.
4. If 12 year olds are good enough for Mao, then they are good enough for the Gymnast team.
5. Pollution? What pollution?
6. One kid. It's the LAW.
7. Never too young for a job!
9. Never met a technology we couldn't steal.