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China Bans Military Personnel From Blogging

Posted by kdawson on from the online-traps dept.

eldavojohn writes "China has banned all 2.3M members of its military from blogging — even personal, non-military blogs. From the announcement of the new regulation: 'Soldiers cannot open blogs on the Internet no matter (whether) he or she does it in the capacity of a soldier or not. The Internet is complicated and we should guard against online traps.' While the official word seems to not be translated to English yet, the same apparently goes for websites or homepages owned by soldiers; there is no indication as to whether or not this applies to sites like Facebook or Renren (which the USMC bans). Similarly, as of 2007, the US requires active duty soldiers to clear any posting with a superior officer, and Israel had to cancel an operation due to a Facebook status update. A military blog aggregating site claims only a few Chinese military blogs indexed, but it looks like as of June 15 that list may have shortened."

10 of 82 comments (clear)

  1. A Natural OPSEC Move by cmholm · · Score: 5, Insightful

    This makes perfect sense, OPSEC-wise, and within the context of Chinese culture, I suspect is no big deal.

    From what I've seen, this wouldn't be a completely insane idea to apply to members of the US armed forces. But, given the role of reservists and the existing penetration of the social web into the demographic of those currently serving, this would be a bear to enforce, and result in a storm of protest, on the assumption it's goal was to cut off alternative sources of information on the situation in Afghanistan.

    --
    Luke, help me take this mask off ... Just for once, let me butterfly kiss you with my own eyes.
  2. How Does this Affect My Rights Online??! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Why is this posted as a YRO article, or even a slashdot story at all? I'm sure that not one of the millions of Chinese Army read slashdot.

    The fact is that military personnel whether its US or foreign operate under different rules than the rest of the population.

    This is not news for nerds, and it definitely doesn't matter to anybody.

    1. Re:How Does this Affect My Rights Online??! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

      China is taking up all of the West's manufacturing
      -> China is buying up all the West's debt
      -> China is going to own our sorry asses in a short time
      -> The West will have to do what the PRC's government says.
      -> Military service in China is compulsory
      -> China denies on-line rights to its soldiers.
      -> Your online rights will be infringed.

    2. Re:How Does this Affect My Rights Online??! by Pharmboy · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Why is this posted as a YRO article

      1. Because it is about removing Chinese soldier's rights to express themselves (or have any presence) on the internet. You can't get more "Your Rights Online" that that.

      2. Some of us believe that the right to free speech is not something that a government can give you. Governments can only act to suppress that right, they can't grant it to you because you were born with it. Even if they "take it away", you still have it, you just can't act on it.

      3. The fact that it is happening to people in China and not the US doesn't affect the newsworthy aspect. While /. is US-centric, there is no problem with discussing the violation of rights by people living in the UK, Australia, Germany, Moldova, China or Timbuktu.

      --
      Tequila: It's not just for breakfast anymore!
    3. Re:How Does this Affect My Rights Online??! by Zontar+The+Mindless · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Some of us believe that the right to free speech is not something that a government can give you.

      You are so wrong it is hilarious.

      Um, no. Your misapprehension would be laughable if it weren't so tragically backwards.

      Some governments protect the right of free speech (such as, at least in theory, that of the US). Others (such as China's), attempt to suppress it. To imply that this right is "granted" by a government is in essence to deny the existence of the right itself.

      --
      Il n'y a pas de Planet B.
  3. Here we go again... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Any word on when Joe Lieberman will use this as an excuse for us needing to do the same in the U.S.?

  4. Re:USMC by DNS-and-BIND · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Sssh! Don't say that! It's all about moral equivalence! Every time somebody says something about China or other repressive governments, the very next breath will contain some example, no matter how contrived, about how we are exactly the same if not worse. Refer to 1960s-era arguments handwaving away the USSR's political oppression by referring to Senator McCarthy.

    --
    Shutting down free speech with violence isn't fighting fascism. It IS fascism!
  5. Re:USMC by KingSkippus · · Score: 3, Insightful

    So is there no room in your universe for both to be wrong? And given the "they made that up" nature of the GP, are you insinuating that people today are making up stuff McCarthy did? 'Cause for the record, in reality, that was one evil dude.

  6. Re: No Chinese Army reading of SlashDot... by ibsteve2u · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I'm sure that not one of the millions of Chinese Army read slashdot.

    lolll...you're right! When it comes to reading slashdot (or leaving their footprints in my logs), those units of the People's Liberation Army that are working with the Ministry of State Security suddenly become "research institutes".

    --
    Orwell: "In a Time of Universal Deceit, telling the Truth is a Revolutionary Act"
  7. Re:Not Surprising by royallthefourth · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Actually it sounds like you're the one who is itching for a fight and projecting it onto a country you don't understand