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China Blocks iTunes

Posted by Soulskill on from the protesters-need-oxygen-let's-ban-that dept.

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.

9 of 325 comments (clear)

  1. If you don't like what we do, don't come here by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    I don't come there to complain about Bush killing babies by the 1000s do I? Do I complain about New Orleans left to rot? Do I complain about Paris Hilton? Yes, yes I do, but then even we can't stand her.

  2. Slashdot in China by MrKaos · · Score: 0, Troll

    Can you even access slashdot from within China? Seems to me if you are in China you have 'No Rights On-line', come to think of it, if you are in China you have 'No Rights At-All'.

    Now we know what it is like to live under a government that the people fear. A government so concerned about loosing face in the Olympics that they did everything they could do to embarrass themselves and prove what everyone has been saying about them all along. That they are a group of thugs prepared to subdue anyone that gets in their way. I'm sure you'll censor that Mr Hu Jintao. president of a Totalitarian State.

    So now English citizens can look forward to having their freedoms raped in the name of 'Protecting the Olympics from Terrorism legislations' and the television stations can conclude their coverage with 'We will now return you to your regularly scheduled apathy'.

    --
    My ism, it's full of beliefs.
  3. Michael Phleps by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    Michael Phelps does swimming for a hobby when he isn't sucking the cocks of his Talmudvision jew media masters. Enjoy your wives and daughters getting themselves off on an endless stream of hollywood jew olympic shit while jew NBC and jew Comcast rakes in all the shekels and you bust your ass for peanuts, faggot american dopes.

  4. CANT GET IT THROUGH ITUNES WILL HAVE TO PIRATE :( by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    Way to try to justify your illegal piracy, Slashfags. It's just like you to lash out at those fighting the good fight. Oh well, not guilty, unlike you. Hope you like prison food!

    BEND OVER, MUSIC THIEVES, FEDERAL LEGISLATION ON THE WAY!

  5. A better idea. by crhylove · · Score: 0, Troll

    As much as China's censorship is abhorrent in every sense of the word, we have similar problems in this country with corporate control. Look at comcast.

    A much better idea would be free and open ad hoc wifi, not just in China, but globally. You can communicate with any router in range of another router, and we could use fiber or parabolic dishes for the long hops.

    I'm really tired of paying $80 a month for crap Net service.

    --
    I hold very few opinions. I hold information based on observation and fact. If you wish to disagree, please use facts.
  6. I thank youO for your timPe by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    Fro_m the FreeBSD bben sitting here Go find something feel obligated to see. The number

  7. Re:iTunes != iTunes Store by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll
    Still, it would be smart to outright prohibit iTunes. That POS bloatware is worse than the abomination Creative unleashed upon the world with it's Zen MP3 players half a decade ago. I don't know a piece of software that is as slow, buggy and bloated and comes bundled with that much crapware (Quicktime and Safari anyone?) that the average user almost has to install if she wants to use it.

    But hey, it's Apple. It's got to be awesome. If iTunes was a Microsoft product the DOJ would probably launch another investigation. I just love Apple hypocrites. And I particularly love fixing their overpriced crap computers for them when their fancy little userfriendly GUIs don't allow them to do what they want. That's if I'm getting paid for it. Otherwise, well, call your yogurt-eating guru and have him fix it because I'm not going to help you.

  8. There's no better time to bash China by shuying · · Score: 0, Troll

    the olympic days are so awesome! advocating splitting China, what do you expect in return? how about supporting terrorist attacks on american in the name of freedom? you know what, probably 99% of the 1.4 billion people in china support this very decision to block itunes, though they may disagree with other censorship measures. those western "protesters" in beijing, they are cowards. they only "protest" in english. i bet the moment they dare "protest" in chinese, they would be crashed by infuriated average chinese. yeah, "free tibet", because that's just what your media tells you to, because china is by default evil, therefore you don't really need to know what actually happens in china.

  9. Re:iTunes != iTunes Store by Anpheus · · Score: 1, Troll

    Safari marks itself to be installed -every single damn time-. I have to uncheck the box every time.

    Yeah that pisses me off.