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China Censors Web To Curb Inner Mongolia Protests

Posted by timothy on from the call-it-inmo-for-short dept.

angry tapir writes "China is blocking mention of Inner Mongolia on Chinese microblogs and social networking sites, as part of an effort to clamp down on protests that broke out last week in the region. Two of the most popular microblog services operating in China no longer allow users to search for the term 'Inner Mongolia.' Sina's and Tencent's microblogs have 140 million and 160 million users, respectively."

103 comments

  1. China and US by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    At least the Chinese only censor the web (for national security) inside their own country. US on the other hand tries to censor it around the world for something little like downloading one mp3.

    1. Re:China and US by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What about those americans who try to shut down websites selling viagra over the internet? It's not like it's illegal in their countries, only in the US where the local pharma companies don't like it that someone with health problems tries to get treatment without paying them thousands of dollars for a pill that costs almost nothing to produce.

    2. Re:China and US by khallow · · Score: 3, Insightful

      There's a difference between "try" and "censor". I also like how the US censors for "something little" while China censors for "national security". There's always someone to equivocate the vile actions of China to the considerably less vile actions of the US.

    3. Re:China and US by Unoriginal_Nickname · · Score: 1

      Or those Americans who arrest the foreign owners of legal gambling sites.

    4. Re:China and US by harrytuttle777 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      The U.S. Government has sold out to the highest bidder and no longer has the interest of the citizen at heart. In your example the highest bidder is Big pharma. In times it was the Chines Government. (Clinton and the bags of cash from PRC). Tomorrow, it will be the Mexican government.

      -A country destroys itself from within long before the enemies can do so from without.
      -But then again according to You-tube I am a faggot, so you should not listen to anything I say.

    5. Re:China and US by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The Chinese also block all content they deem to be a bad influence such as pornography of all types.

    6. Re:China and US by igreaterthanu · · Score: 1

      How is copyright remotely similar to censorship? If I want to download an mp3 from some american artist I can pay them. If you are in China, you can't just pay to have access to the info China censors.

      --
      I dream of a nation where a man is not judged by his skin color but by an number assigned by a credit rating agency.
    7. Re:China and US by Artemis3 · · Score: 1

      Simple: The vast majority of works while still in copyright, are out of print. You can't pay to get it, period. Also, it is difficult if not impossible in some countries to buy foreign things, because you can't obtain US$, much less in electronic form; and the importing can be limited or even blocked/forbidden (think of countries in USA's black list for example).

      --
      Artix
      Your Linux, your init.
    8. Re:China and US by Opportunist · · Score: 2

      Actually the actions of the US seem more vile in this light. China censors with the fear of a national uprise, something that might endanger the nation. The US censor already when the revenue of a rather insignificant company is threatened.

      Personally, I'd consider the latter worse. Censoring because you fear the nation is endangered (as real or imagined it may be, or as 'good' or 'bad' the government may be in the first place) is at least understandable. Censoring to protect the revenue stream of a company nobody gives a fuck about that isn't in any way a threat to the stability of the country should it fail is not.

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    9. Re:China and US by Opportunist · · Score: 1

      So you can buy the freedom to listen?

      Ahh, the joys of capitalism where your freedom is dependent on your wallet's fillings.

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    10. Re:China and US by SuricouRaven · · Score: 1

      Not all copyright is used for censorship, but it can be used for that purpose. For one well-known example, Disney uses it to ensure that some of it's early works are never seen (legally, anyway) again, as they featured some casual racism that didn't raise an eyebrow at the time but would be seen as unacceptable today. The Church of Scientology is also infamous for using copyright to prevent dissenters and critics from discussing it's books, taking legal action against any opponent of the church who quotes a paragraph. While copyright isn't primarily used as a tool of censorship, it can be used as such.

    11. Re:China and US by igreaterthanu · · Score: 2

      Even if you cannot afford to buy the freedom to listen, you also have the freedom to speak. Copyright doesn't get rid of that, whereas China's censorship does.

      --
      I dream of a nation where a man is not judged by his skin color but by an number assigned by a credit rating agency.
    12. Re:China and US by somersault · · Score: 2

      It's "YouTube", faggot ;)

      --
      which is totally what she said
    13. Re:China and US by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      What about those americans who try to shut down websites selling viagra over the internet?

      You mean the plethora of websites peddling counterfeit prescription drugs that may contain little to no active ingredient? Counterfeit drugs that may contain some other drug than they are purported to contain? Counterfeit drugs that may contain harmful non-drug substances? Counterfeit drugs that have absolutely no quality assurance testing and no regulatory oversight to ensure they are not harmful to their users?

      For every prescription drug site that sells genuine prescription drugs there are many more that sell counterfeit prescription drugs churned out by shady, fly-by-night companies out to make a quick buck.

      You've got a better chance of knowing what is in some pill you get from some doped out kid at a party than you are to know about some pill you bought over the internet.

    14. Re:China and US by Hal_Porter · · Score: 0

      Someone needs to update Godwin's Law.

      How about Porter's law - "All discussions of censorship in some grim totalitarian state must have a first post by an overweight American seeding a dozen torrents using his employer or college's bandwidth claiming that the US is worse because a tiny minority of people pirating a terrible Hollywood movie to save themselves 0.000000001% of their disposable income once got sued".

      Yeah, you poor things you. I bet the vending machine is out of Cheetos too. Which is exactly the same as The Great Leap Forward. After all, both caused hunger.

      --
      echo -e 'global _start\n _start:\n mov eax, 2\n int 80h\n jmp _start' > a.asm; nasm a.asm -f elf; ld a.o -o a;
    15. Re:China and US by Hal_Porter · · Score: 1

      China censors with the fear of a national uprise, something that might endanger the government.

      FTFY

      --
      echo -e 'global _start\n _start:\n mov eax, 2\n int 80h\n jmp _start' > a.asm; nasm a.asm -f elf; ld a.o -o a;
    16. Re:China and US by Hal_Porter · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Actually if you look at the list porn is not a very high percentage

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_blacklisted_keywords_in_the_People's_Republic_of_China

      I.e. they ban Playboy so they can claim to be blocking porn to protect the innocent Chinese people from lascivious foreigners. Pretty much everything else on the list is there because the government wants to stop Chinese people discussing things like Taiwan, Tibet and Tiananmen.

      Funny how Americans here will often claim that the US government claims to be doing things for one reason but is really doing them for a completely different (and completely self serving) one but assume that people running an extremely ruthless one party state with strict censorship will act rationally in the best interests of the majority of their people.

      --
      echo -e 'global _start\n _start:\n mov eax, 2\n int 80h\n jmp _start' > a.asm; nasm a.asm -f elf; ld a.o -o a;
    17. Re:China and US by Opportunist · · Score: 2

      Show me one government that doesn't put its own interests before those of the country and I'll only ask whether they have lax immigration laws.

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    18. Re:China and US by Opportunist · · Score: 1

      What is the freedom to speak good for if there is nobody who'd listen to it? That's basically why this right has never really been eliminated, and why most countries don't bother to. As long as you're not heard, you can scream as loud as you want to, and the louder the better so you add to the noise. Should anyone who isn't wanted to be heard speak loud enough, he'll get bullied 'til he caves in.

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    19. Re:China and US by Hal_Porter · · Score: 1

      If you think governments have an extreme tendency to put their own interests above that of the public should they really have the power to censor criticism of themselves?

      --
      echo -e 'global _start\n _start:\n mov eax, 2\n int 80h\n jmp _start' > a.asm; nasm a.asm -f elf; ld a.o -o a;
    20. Re:China and US by Bucc5062 · · Score: 1

      That is a beautiful piece of sarcasm and truth all wrapped in one clear message. Well done.

      --
      Life is a great ride, the vehicle doesn't matter
    21. Re:China and US by tsa · · Score: 1

      I think people in Bahrein and Libya and some other countries like China, for instance, will think otherwise. So people do listen to you, and they have some very nasty ways to stop you saying what you want.

      --

      -- Cheers!

    22. Re:China and US by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Wow.. it's weird all these comments are irrelevant to the actual story and more of comments criticizing the U.S. government (no idea how that's related). My guess is all of these comments are an attempt to do damage control.

    23. Re:China and US by khallow · · Score: 2

      Actually the actions of the US seem more vile in this light. China censors with the fear of a national uprise, something that might endanger the nation. The US censor already when the revenue of a rather insignificant company is threatened.

      Of course, it seems more vile to you. I just want to point out that protection of the revenue of a rather insignificant company in international trade is a more valid and legitimate national interest than oppressing the populace and ignoring their petitions for redress.

    24. Re:China and US by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yeah right. If this was the U.S. censoring protests (which they sometimes do, though not overtly) you'd be claiming it was the worst act of the 21st century.

      The double standards for entities like e.g. Google or the U.S. is why I no longer take Slashdot seriously. It's apparently not worth posting unless you harbor extreme views.

    25. Re:China and US by The+Dawn+Of+Time · · Score: 2

      Aren't you onboard with the greater good, citizen?

    26. Re:China and US by The+Dawn+Of+Time · · Score: 1

      So? The right to be entertained as you wish is not remotely similar to the right to express yourself. I'm not even sure how it can be an actual right.

    27. Re:China and US by Hal_Porter · · Score: 1

      Yeah because the freedom to download a CAM rip of a sequel to a reboot of a recast of a movie based on a crap 1960's TV series for free and rather than paying a few bucks to see it in a cinema is totally the same as the freedom to call for people's rights under the countries constitution to be respected

      So people being sued for downloading bad copies of worse movies in the US is totally the same as Liu Xiaobo being arrested for asking the Chinese government to respect things like Article 35 of the Chinese constitution

      --
      echo -e 'global _start\n _start:\n mov eax, 2\n int 80h\n jmp _start' > a.asm; nasm a.asm -f elf; ld a.o -o a;
    28. Re:China and US by LordLimecat · · Score: 1

      I was going to remark that perhaps this would serve to provide some perspective to those who try to claim that the US is some authoritarian monster; but I guess I underestimated slashdot.

    29. Re:China and US by LordLimecat · · Score: 2

      Actually the actions of the US seem more vile in this light. China censors with the fear of a national uprise, something that might endanger the nation. The US censor already when the revenue of a rather insignificant company is threatened. Personally, I'd consider the latter worse

      Then move there, and enjoy your reeducation-by-labor camps.

      I guess for some people any article is an excuse to lament how terrible life is in one of the richest and freest countries in the world. Had it occured to you how whiney and petty your complaints might sound to those in Inner Mongolia, or to Liu Xiaobo, or to any of the folks who tried to protest during the Olympics?

    30. Re:China and US by houghi · · Score: 1

      Freedom of speech? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkHg3M6eUB8
      Look at how they ask people to shut up. Freedom of the press? Look at how they tell a news person (with the big camera) to stop filming.

      You have the freedom to do as you are told. If you do not behave according to form, you will be arrested.

      If that is freedom, then I am glad I don't have it.

      --
      Don't fight for your country, if your country does not fight for you.
    31. Re:China and US by bluemonq · · Score: 2

      Actually if you pay attention to the recent porn crackdowns in China instead of the simply leafing through the keywords being banned you'd know that they're pretty damn serious about the 'preventing the youths' morals from corruption' thing.

    32. Re:China and US by betterunixthanunix · · Score: 1

      How is copyright remotely similar to censorship?

      When we have laws like this one:

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Millenium_Copyright_Act

      --
      Palm trees and 8
    33. Re:China and US by VocationalZero · · Score: 2

      +5 for this pro-oppression Chinese propaganda officer? What the hell has happened to you, slashdot? Its a sad day when the statement that upholding intellectual property law is less moral than authorities deleting information from the web to stop information about human suffering from propagating is considered at all "insightful".

    34. Re:China and US by Paul1969 · · Score: 1

      Google "civil forfeiture laws" if you think the US is free of the taint of authoritarian monstrosity.

    35. Re:China and US by Opportunist · · Score: 1

      Oh, now I've been hit, by the ultimate argument. "Don't like what $country_A does? Move to $country_B where it's so much worse!"

      Are we so ingrained by two-party politics that we can only think in terms of the "lesser of two evils"? The idea that there is a way better than the lesser of two evils is so unthinkable that you cannot even imagine it?

      Yes, I find censorship in the name of some corporation worse than censorship in the name of the nation. But the idea that I'd actually want neither is completely unthinkable, isn't it?

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    36. Re:China and US by mjwx · · Score: 1

      Show me one government that doesn't put its own interests before those of the country and I'll only ask whether they have lax immigration laws.

      I can only list places where governments don't bother you if you've got heaps of money.

      That list is nearly 137 entries long but it's a sliding scale as to how much money you need to reach the threshold.

      --
      Calling someone a "hater" only means you can not rationally rebut their argument.
    37. Re:China and US by Lakitu · · Score: 1

      How much more wrong could you be?

      Having the ability to censor anything with the only justification being "because the state says so" means the state deserves to continue existing only because it already does, regardless of what anyone thinks, or how they are living, and no matter how reprehensible the state's other actions are. This line of reasoning equates "saving lives by stopping a riot" or whatever with "fascist regime deserves to stay fascist", even in the most vile and reprehensible cases like the DPRK, North Korea. I mean, really, you think this makes sense? You think The State deserves to have power because it already has power?

      The peace seen in the USA is built on foundations of freedom and business. This is only possible in aAn environment which fosters confidence in both businesses and consumers to allow both of them to freely engage in commerce and trade. In many places around the world, business is stifled because of the lack of these qualities, where vendors are harassed by local government, low-quality or dangerous goods are produced, and where there is little faith in the economy to work on anything but a small scale. The government of the USA ensuring that a fair and free business environment exists is the reason for copyright laws, as poorly implemented as they may be, and it's not in any way comparable to a fascist regime's censorship.

      Not to mention the penalties! There may be no punishment for searching for these phrases on the web, or evading the ban through a vpn to do a search, but what happens if you are a provider who disagrees with the idea that there may be violence and wishes to enable searches? What if you are a person who peacefully and respectfully disagrees with the censorship, and speak out against it publicly? Nobody hears about it much because people are too afraid to do it or because those who do this are secretly jailed.

      The "censorship" in the US has a clear, detailed, explained rationale behind it, is accountable to another entity, and establishes recourse for any wrongdoing such as inadvertantly "censoring" something which should not have been.

      The censorship in China is established by a small group of elites who are not held accountable to anyone in particular, can be completely arbitrary, and is absolute, in that there is no real way to petition wrongful censorship or actions tainted by corruption. When the justification for this censorship is "because the state says so", it means that the punishment for evading the censorship can be anything, including death, because the state says so. There is no recourse for that!

    38. Re:China and US by lsatenstein · · Score: 1

      Ignorance is a bliss. I take exception to stating that the USA only censors MP3 downloads or trivia. It costs a lot of money to censor trivia.

      --
      Leslie Satenstein Montreal Quebec Canada
    39. Re:China and US by LordLimecat · · Score: 1

      Oh, now I've been hit, by the ultimate argument. "Don't like what $country_A does? Move to $country_B where it's so much worse!"

      Im saying that if youre going to comment in an article on China about how much worse the US is, you should probably move out of the US. Im also remarking that I think you lack all perspective when you start claiming that speech in the US is worse off than in China because of copyright.

      If you want to have a serious discussion about how to fix the very real problems in the US, thats fine. Just dont go claiming that China has more free speech than the US, because thats absolutely not true.

    40. Re:China and US by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      He didn't claim China has more free speech.

      He was only talking about one single facet: the reason for censoring (nation vs corporate). That one single facet does not make up the entirety of the free speech issue.

      Don't know if he wants a serious discussion, but your strawman sure doesn't help towards that.

    41. Re:China and US by smithmc · · Score: 1

      Actually the actions of the US seem more vile in this light. China censors with the fear of a national uprise, something that might endanger the nation. The US censor already when the revenue of a rather insignificant company is threatened.

      You say "already" as though you assume the US response would escalate further in the case of speech against the government. However, the US, unlike China, allows and tolerates dissent on the Internet, even against the government (and including allowing people to speak against its policies regarding things like copyright enforcement, BTW). We have a Constitutional amendment that guarantees this, which China most certainly does not. And, BTW, don't discount the importance of intellectual property and the revenue it generates, in terms of its importance to "the stability of the country" in the case of the US and other western countries - for better or worse.

      --
      Downmodding is the refuge of the weak. Don't downmod, make a better argument!
    42. Re:China and US by sabt-pestnu · · Score: 1

      Some of those things out of print would be political or social commentary, and reports on government actions, as well as technical materials.

      Not everything out of print is "entertainment".

    43. Re:China and US by Opportunist · · Score: 1

      What I want to discuss is the intention of censorship makes a difference. We needn't discuss that the effects are worse in China.

      There have been many instances of censorship for the sake of the nation's security, even in US history. Secret information, people getting arrested for leaking it (anyone remember Mannings?), the whole "security of the nation" thing. For China, people causing "unrest" is quite similar to this. Most people see this from the perspective of a person who grew up in the "free" world of the West. We value individual freedom above everything. This isn't quite the same for Eastern cultures who often hold harmony and social peace in higher esteem. And if you think in these paradigms, the whole mess becomes quite understandable. These people "upset" that social peace and thus are a threat to the nation. I could even see a lot of people being actively supportive of such behaviour by a government.

      We consider that an atrocity because our values are different. Not being allowed to say and do what we want (provided we don't slander or harm a person directly) is a horrible idea for us.

      But back on topic. Yes, you analyzed it correctly, what I was talking about is the reason for censorship being, at least in my opinion, worse. The interests of a company are deemed more important than the interests of the population. That the effects are worse in China goes without saying, but the reason is more understandable, and more agreeable.

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    44. Re:China and US by LordLimecat · · Score: 1

      Granted, but you DID state that "The US' actions seem more vile in this light" which is what I took issue with-- however bad things may seem here, theyre still way better than they are over there.

      As for some of your examples of censorship...

      even in US history. Secret information, people getting arrested for leaking it (anyone remember Mannings?),

      Manning was part of the military, and had a clearance. He took an oath (probably several) not to reveal the information he had. Lets put it another way-- is it censorship that Wikileaks keeps its sources secret? I understand they use NDAs there with binding legal clauses....

      the whole "security of the nation" thing.

      Some censorship really is necessary sometimes-- what if some enterprising young NY Times journalist had gotten wind of the Op to kill Bin Laden? Should we just have let him publish a report, military personnel be damned?

      These people "upset" that social peace and thus are a threat to the nation.

      Im not convinced thats true. Certainly thats what the government wants everyone to think, but certainly the student protests in the 90s (Tiananmen) and protests since indicate that thats not entirely true. It seems to me that any calm there is is because the people know how the government reacts to such protests; but I dont think you can rely on them tolerating more and more for the sake of "peace and quiet".

  2. chinese wikileaks - where are you? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I can't help but wonder where wikileaks is on this subject. There was soo much hope and potential for wikileaks to be universally recognised across countries, continents and cultures as being pro liberty. Sadly the recent diversions have hindered this cause.

    1. Re:chinese wikileaks - where are you? by lennier · · Score: 1

      Sadly the recent diversions have hindered this cause.

      What an unfortunate coincidence. I'm sure there was absolutely no connection between Wikileaks annoying the heads of all major governments on Earth and the mysterious, sudden, and unexpected backlash of the media against them. It will be one of the 21st century's enduring mysteries for future anthropologists to ponder, like how Lady Gaga became famous.

      Well, that's all for our news slot! Next, a poodle who barks The Marseillaise - in Libya!

      --
      You are not a brain: http://books.google.com/books?id=2oV61CeDx-YC
  3. I for one can't wait to Chingis Kahn rises up by harrytuttle777 · · Score: 0

    And bitch slaps the Chines again.

    Obligatory link to Fulan Dafa:

    -None of us are going to get out of this life alive, so we might as well sit back and enjoy the ride.
    -But then again I am a faggot according to you-tube, so you should ignore anything I say.

    1. Re:I for one can't wait to Chingis Kahn rises up by Hal_Porter · · Score: 1

      I dunno, but if I were with the Falun Gong/Mongolians/some other oppressed minority in China I'm not sure I'd be entirely happy that someone is calling for a genocide of Chinese people in my name. Because that would be the sort of thing the Chinese government would find useful to justify what repression they have. So if you posted this in an attempt to help the Falun Gong/Mongolians et you're seriously misguided.

      Of course if you posted this to get your proverbial fifty cents from the CCP, then good job. Top marks for creativity in fact.

      --
      echo -e 'global _start\n _start:\n mov eax, 2\n int 80h\n jmp _start' > a.asm; nasm a.asm -f elf; ld a.o -o a;
    2. Re:I for one can't wait to Chingis Kahn rises up by harrytuttle777 · · Score: 1

      Yes, I am sure that if the oppressed minority groups would just be quite, China would just leave them alone. I can't think of an instance in history where that philosophy has worked out.

      -But then again You Tube says I am a fagot, so you should probably just ignore what I say.

    3. Re:I for one can't wait to Chingis Kahn rises up by harrytuttle777 · · Score: 1

      On Second thought, maybe your are right. I would not want to give any reason for any more oppression of Mongolia / Tibet / Fulong Gong. The CCP can do that on their own.


      To the Thought Police in the PRC;

            I am not Mongolian, Tibetan, or a member of any religious organization that you have deemed illegal and highly dangerous to the peace and harmony of society. The above comments are my own and meant as a joke, and are not representative of the opinions of any of the above mentioned groups.

            Mongolians and Tibetans are for the most part peaceful and just trying to get along in the world. They are nice people, and do not want to overthrow your government.

      -Sincerely
      -Harry

      Wheh, No I can sleep easy.

      -But then again You Tube says I am a fagot, so you should probably just ignore what I said.

  4. God Damn Mongorians!!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Always after my shCity Beef,

  5. China censors internet by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    How is this anything new? Call me when they stop censoring.

    1. Re:China censors internet by creat3d · · Score: 1

      The fact that we've gotten used to it doesn't change that it's unacceptable and deserves serious attention.

      --
      Grammar nazis are to this community what excrements are to gold.
  6. Fuck off Chairman Mao by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    At least in America free speech against the government is allowed.

    We don't censor the words like "Jasmine Revolution" or "Democracy"

    America is great because we can say whatever we want, and as long as we don't illegally distribute what copyrighted material, we have nothing to fear either.

    Free speech is better than than totalitarian control of Speech that the Chinese government imposes on its people.

    1. Re:Fuck off Chairman Mao by creat3d · · Score: 2

      Yep, America is one of the very few places where you can say anything you want, yet have no say at the same time.

      --
      Grammar nazis are to this community what excrements are to gold.
    2. Re:Fuck off Chairman Mao by Seumas · · Score: 1

      Your view of the degree of freedom of speech (and presumably, assembly and protest) in this country appears very naive.

    3. Re:Fuck off Chairman Mao by drolli · · Score: 2

      You mean, lets say, any Muslim in traditional outfit can enter a plane and because he is afraid of flying pray "Allah is great", without any fearing to be removed from the plane? You mean, one can wear a t-shirt with "fuck [name of local governor]" on it and police will threat him like anybody else? You mean one can not be imprisoned without seeing a lawyer for saying something which the police *considers* to be a terrorist threat.

      I am glad to hear that.

      There are no political forces who want to have a "kill switch" on the Internet?

      I appreciate that the USA and the western world in general is very free right now, but i urge you to be careful when making comparisons, or take this for granted. Good chess players watch their own defense.

      Its more complicated than "the Chinese" "censoring the net" for "political reasons". Its that han-Chinese in some regions are not tolerated so well in the local population - to say it nicely. Its sometimes less of a political conflict, but more a race problem. Sometimes external organizations give support for political reasons, but it ends up for stimulating demonstrations - which are close to racial nationalism - during which people have been killed, not by the police, but by the protesters, telling that these protests where *not* peaceful sit-ins on the streets, but violent unrest. Stimulating unrest *is* a crime in many European states, and i have no doubt that it could happen that your web page may be put off line.

      If you want to have a confirmation that feeling suppressed by a central government does not make people nicer or more understanding for human rights, look to the Baltic states. Some of these try to put the considerable Russian speaking population (people who also had no say in going there) into a serious disadvantage, up to forbidding to speak the Russian language in public places.

      So while i hope the Chinese government finds a way to deal with this in a constructive manner, i have to say: maybe the time to solve this complicated problem has just not yet come. Maybe they figured that if they use this "kill switch" deaths can be prevented. While we may dispute about it (and i would), this idea is not *so* far from some things i have heard in Europe/the US.

    4. Re:Fuck off Chairman Mao by sortius_nod · · Score: 2

      I thought it was:

      America, where you have the right to say anything, but say nothing of value.

      Either one is good.

    5. Re:Fuck off Chairman Mao by Opportunist · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Yes, you have the right to say what you want. Actually, you're encouraged to and almost badgered to do it. Because our powers have noticed something: Nobody cares. Worse, since everyone may say what they want, we believe actually the bull that we're free to say what we want. Which is actually true.

      We're just not free to listen to anyone we want.

      Or, more accurately, our powers noticed that it does not matter whether me or you say something, not even when done in a blog or other means to make it public past the reach of our voice when standing on a soap box. Why? 'cause nobody listens. Duh. Only if you start saying things they don't like AND you get an audience, that's when they get active.

      So, essentially, you're free to say what you want. Just hope you don't get too many to listen or you might be in trouble.

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    6. Re:Fuck off Chairman Mao by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Sorry, but America has become a fascist state. Watch this video from two days ago:

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jUU3yCy3uI

    7. Re:Fuck off Chairman Mao by CRCulver · · Score: 1

      ...up to forbidding to speak the Russian language in public places.

      Even when tensions were highest in Estonia, half of the public conversations one heard on the street where in Russian. While there may be cause for concern with the way that the Baltic governments treated their Russian minorities, this kind of hyperbole is not helpful.

    8. Re:Fuck off Chairman Mao by drolli · · Score: 1

      So you want to say, half of the conversations gave the police occasion to bully the persons at will?

    9. Re:Fuck off Chairman Mao by CRCulver · · Score: 1

      The Estonian police don't bully anyone for speaking Russian. I usually speak Russian with older people when visiting Estonia -- which I do several times a year -- and never has anyone batted an eye (and they don't usually notice that I'm not a native Russian).

    10. Re:Fuck off Chairman Mao by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Well, that seems rational but if the reality is that the powers that be, not necissarily the government, already have a kill switch, already are monitoring you and already engage in practices that amount to racial purification, then doesn't this all just add another layer of criminality to sort through? The Constitution has been ripped to shreds. The government isn't protecting our rights and for the most part, our citizens are little more than dogs fighting each other for table scraps. Fixing our government will undoubtely amount to civil war. We blew it. At the end of WW2, we decided to rule the world through money and now we're being handed our hat. They don't need us. China is killing us with cheap labor and their pollution makes our efforts to save the environment a joke. What does our government have left to do but spy on us? It won't be long before some terrorist uses one of our own nuclear weapons to kill us. Losers, one and all.

    11. Re:Fuck off Chairman Mao by creat3d · · Score: 0

      If you watch this video, though, you get a completely different perspective on the situation in America: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vw4KVoEVcr0

      --
      Grammar nazis are to this community what excrements are to gold.
    12. Re:Fuck off Chairman Mao by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Only if you start saying things they don't like AND you get an audience, that's when they get active.

      Remind you of something? Slashdot perhaps?

      Apathy is the natural progression of freedom. According to you, freedom is therefore worthless.

    13. Re:Fuck off Chairman Mao by Opportunist · · Score: 1

      Quite the opposite, I value my freedom above everything else.

      Sadly, you're correct. We're so used to our freedom that we don't bother defending it anymore. There is no outcry when yet another law gets passed that limits us and strangles us, that fences us in and takes away our liberty, plucking it limb from limb until we are free ... to do what we get told to do.

      We live in a time where death is such an unthinkable, horrible fate that nothing is worth risking it, not even defending our liberty. And I'm not even talking about a real, visible threat. You can scare the average person with some diffuse threat of "terrorism" into giving up any and all liberty he ever had, as long as you at least promise to protect him. Again, we're not talking about protecting someone from a tangible right-out-the-door danger, something I could possibly at least understand (not approve, but understand). We're talking about a promise of protection from some diffuse, maybe, possibly, existing threat that's enough to make people cower in fear and willingly surrender freedoms we held dear not too long ago.

      And that's something I simply do not understand. Are we really so easy to scare? Thinking about it, it can't even be the danger of death. Look at the statistics for a simple "threat indicator". 30,000-40,000 dead per year in car accidents. 40,000 killed by junk food related health problems every year. And a stunning 195,000 dead per year from malpractice. I don't see people go apeshit over cars, hamburgers or are terrified when they see a doctor. But some 3,000 once, a decade ago, that's making us quiver in our slippers.

      I don't understand humans.

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  7. Clearly, This Means . . . by Seumas · · Score: 1

    We need to do even more business with the Chinese. Because, of course, i've been told my entire life as an American that capitalism in the form of sweat shops, then KFCs and Walmarts are the way to overthrow governments and win the hearts and minds of people. So the more evil China does, the more business we need to do with them, FOR FREEDOM! Or something.

    1. Re:Clearly, This Means . . . by c6gunner · · Score: 1

      We need to do even less business with the North Koreans. Because, of course, i've been told my entire life as a Canadian that refusing to do business with Bad People is the way to overthrow governments and win the hearts and minds of people. So the more evil North Korea does, the less business we need to do with them, FOR FREEDOM! Or something.

  8. In the future... by Gaygirlie · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I actually fully await for the US to start doing something similar some day. The PROTECT IP Act. et. al. are already a good way in the same direction, the next logical step would be "PROTECT CHILDREN Act" or "PROTECT INNOCENCE Act" which would allow the government to start censoring material for "ethical reasons."

    1. Re:In the future... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "PROTECT GOVERNMENT Act" sounds like the next step then, censoring material that could hurt the current government.

    2. Re:In the future... by Sulphur · · Score: 1

      "PROTECT GOVERNMENT Act" sounds like the next step then, censoring material that could hurt the current government.

      s/GOVERNMENT/American Social Safety/

    3. Re:In the future... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I actually fully await for the US to start doing something similar some day. The PROTECT IP Act. et. al. are already a good way in the same direction, the next logical step would be "PROTECT CHILDREN Act" or "PROTECT INNOCENCE Act" which would allow the government to start censoring material for "ethical reasons."

      beware evil masquerading in the name of the children

  9. Interesting, No mention of this in China Daily by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    I did a search in China Daily http://search.chinadaily.com.cn/all_en.jsp?searchText=Inner+Mongolia+&searchword=Inner+Mongolia and these is no mention of this story at all. The entire story may very well be a fabrication by anti-revolutionary forces.

    I am in China, there really has been no mention of it. And you can be sure I posted Anonymously for this one.

    1. Re:Interesting, No mention of this in China Daily by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Of course there's been no mention and for the newspaper's sake they'll keep it that way.

    2. Re:Interesting, No mention of this in China Daily by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I found this:
      http://www.baidu.com/s?bs=inner+mongolia&f=8&wd=inner+mongolia+protests&inputT=3018

      http://news.omy.sg/News/World%2BNews/Story/OMYStory201105300041-248794.html

      "Unprecedented demonstrations erupted in the Inner Mongolia region after the killing this month of an ethnic Mongol herder ignited long-simmering anger over perceived Chinese political and cultural oppression."

      Posting anonymously cause I don't have (not care to get) a slashdot account.

  10. All this reminds me of something.... by Nrrqshrr · · Score: 2

    The Tunisian contagion finally reaching China?
    Somehow I feel that all these "big" countries will suffer the same fate. China may actually collapse under it's own weight if something like this continues. Heck, the Tunisian revolution started from some small village in the south of it and then spread like fire on grass. China seems to have built the same tension from class differences and the rising social needs (and of course frustration from censorship).
    The chinese government might be able to distribute money like the petrolium mafia-countries do, right now, to calm the angry mobs, but personally, I do expect some kind of change in China.

    1. Re:All this reminds me of something.... by Hermanas · · Score: 1

      When it comes to the censorship of the Internet, especially on riots and uprisings, China has the patent. They've been doing it on a much larger scale and long before the Tunisian uprisings ever started - from Wikipedia:

      The regulation was passed in the 42nd Standing Convention of the State Council on 23 January 1996. It was formally announced on 1 February 1996, and updated again on 20 May 1997... In December 1997, Public Security minister Zhu Entao released new regulations to be enforced by the ministry that inflict fines for 'defaming government agencies,' 'splitting the nation,' and leaking "state secrets." Violators could face a fine up to 15,000 Yuan ($1800).

      They censored the July 2009 Urumqi riots, the anniversary of Tiananmen Square protests, etc. etc.

      The point is, those doing the uprisings are a small majority compared to the size of the country, and the Chinese government is doing an extremely good job of containing the information.

    2. Re:All this reminds me of something.... by Hermanas · · Score: 1

      Oops, meant to say small minority, not small majority.

    3. Re:All this reminds me of something.... by SuricouRaven · · Score: 1

      When it comes to oppression, China are the masters. Any idiot can oppress a country using enough men with guns and some violent intimidation - but the government of China is so good at it, the population celebrates how the government is protecting them. Real experts in the field.

    4. Re:All this reminds me of something.... by MaDeR · · Score: 1

      China will not change any time soon. They are, as for now, able to give bread and circus. As long as they can dope in this way proverbial unwashed masses, they can sleep sound and safe.

      --
      What modern Obelix would say today? Of course, "Those crazy Americans!".
    5. Re:All this reminds me of something.... by Paul1969 · · Score: 1

      Population celebrating how the government is protecting them? Gee, that sounds like... Memorial Day.
      Irony level rising.

  11. Do we really need the term 'Microblog'? by outsider007 · · Score: 1

    Doesn't 'Blog' get the idea across? I mean, is huffpo a 'Megablog'? And if so should 'Microsoft' be forced to rebrand as 'Gigantosoft'? Just sayin'

    --
    If you mod me down the terrorists will have won
  12. Rhymes by TemperedAlchemist · · Score: 2

    China and Ingsoc have such a nice ring together, don't you think?

  13. Change the term by Hecatonchires · · Score: 1

    Non outer mongolia

    --

    Yay me!

  14. China Censorship by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I just returned from China yesterday. While there I was unable to access Facebook and most blogs, although Instapundit, Drudge, and a few other very popular sites were available. During my last visit, two years ago near the anniversary of the student uprising, they were similarly blocking all mention of Tiananmen Square. Such is life under an authoritarian regime.

  15. Hmm.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Some 10 Wong Here..

  16. Pictures by rayver · · Score: 2

    Looks like there's pictures and a small blip of text about it here: http://www.innermongolia.org/english/index.html It also looks like all Chinese news sites (.cn) are censoring any mention of it as well.

    1. Re:Pictures by rayver · · Score: 1

      Oh and a video from someone inside mongolia! http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/05/30/china.martial.law/

    2. Re:Pictures by rayver · · Score: 1

      And a whole lot more from youtube: http://www.youtube.com/results?search_type=videos&search_query=inner+mongolia&search_sort=video_date_uploaded http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yef-1ZVNOs

  17. fuck these malcontents by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I say send in the fucken army to these fucken inner reserves and lay down the fucken law........wait what? Mongolia? Oh sorry, I thought this was a story about native Americans.

  18. Xinhua's take on things by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I like the "intersting take" that Xinhua takes on the subject..
    http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/travel/2011-05/26/c_13895452.htm

    especially tis section:

    "In the Batu's yurts, which are essentially tents, tourists can enjoy special Mongolian milk products and meat, then spend the day riding horses across the grassland, while at night they can partake in the traditional entertainment--singing and dancing around a bonfire.

    In the past, Batu's family lived a life dependent on animal husbandry. But due to droughts and overgrazing, the family barely made ends meet. In recent years tourism emerged as an increasingly popular way to provide income. Hosting eager visitors has enabled the family to build a new brick house and buy motorcycles and cars. "

    So.. Come visit the ethnic flavour so the Mongolians can move from tents to brick houses..

  19. In other words: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Oppressive regime engages in oppressive behavior, other oppressive regimes take note of the example, prepare to model their own behaviors similarly. Nothing to see here, move along.

    1. Re:In other words: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      This one news article from today's newspaper pretty much sums up everything you need to know about the Chinese government's relationship with its people (published in a Chinese paper BTW)

      http://www.shanghaidaily.com/nsp/National/2011/05/31/County%2Bdenies%2Bthat%2Bgraft%2Bprotesters%2Bwere%2Bbeaten/

      1) Corrupt local government officials stealing money
      2) Use of eminent-domain that unfairly compensates those displaced
      3) National government unresponsive to complaints
      4) Cover up of corrupt government behavior
      5) Violence used to repress those who speak out
      6) Use of the press to expose the bad activity by the local government officials - but in a way that doesn't admit actual wrongdoing (this article wouldn't have appeared without some degree of approval)
      7) Censoring of self-publishing (twitter-like service) by the national government

      This episode is basically par for the course and occurs daily. People who keep their head down, don't complain, and avoid attention do fine. Those who can't avoid the government (because the government took their house for example), are basically roadkill. Sorry 'bout that and all....

      Those of you who live in the US and think your rights are being infringed should try China sometime. No comparison.

  20. us doesnt use labor camps against twitterers by decora · · Score: 1

    in general, making a sarcastic comment about the government on twitter will not get you a year in jail in a labor camp in the US. not yet anyways.

    it happened to a girl in china though.

    1. Re:us doesnt use labor camps against twitterers by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      in general, making a sarcastic comment about the government on twitter will not get you a year in jail in a labor camp in the US.

      And how would you know?

      It's a serious question. Not trolling. IF there were secret detention camps (in or out of the USA) that the United States "disappeared" its Citizens to, how would you know? Do you think they're going to advertise their existence or something?

  21. The myth of Clinton and China by decora · · Score: 2

    In On the Brink by Henry Paulson he clearly describes his relationship with Chinese leaders while he was CEO of Goldman Sachs.

    When he became secretary of terasury in 2006 he was constantly on the phone with them. They get more mention in his book on the crisis of 2008 than Dick Cheney does.

    China bought hundreds of billions of dollars worth of Treasury bonds, as well as Fannie and Freddie bonds, through the 1990s and in the 2000s they really ramped up.

    I.E., during all of the years when the 'Anti-Clintons' were in the whitehouse and/or congress, 2000-2008, China basically bought a massive, ginormous chunk of the US housing market. When you pay your mortgage, part of it goes directly to the Red Army.

    It has nothing to do with Clinton, Bush, the GOP, the Democrats, etc. We don't even have words to describe how the system has changed over the past 20 or so years.

  22. Bullshit. Just checked, mentionable on all 3. by vampire_baozi · · Score: 1

    I just made a post saying "Inner Mongolia. Is Inner Mongolia being censored?" in Chinese on Renren. Nope, no problems, instant send. Asked a friend to ask their friends, grapevine says no protests in any major cities in Neimenggu.

    This sounds like bullshit to me. Not even China censors so well that not a single mention of the protests is found ANYWHERE. Tianya would have like 20 threads a minute,like during the Uighur riots (okay, minor exaggeration). Sounds more like a made-up non-story.

    The real story is that something like this gets picked up by the media and Slashdot. And that it is so believable :(

    1. Re:Bullshit. Just checked, mentionable on all 3. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      My wife just called from Erenhot, Chinese-Mongolian border town.
      State of emergency there for sure.
      Incredible how effective the censors are.

    2. Re:Bullshit. Just checked, mentionable on all 3. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Well I did see a picture of a memo allegedly sent to teacher training academies in the region ordering students and faculty not to leave the campus.

  23. For this summer, Tag Heuer Replica Watches suits by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Drive from: Do you know more about the fashion idea to choosing good watches for a man? Sharing you are the fashion and personality Tag Heuer Replica.

  24. Just like protests in Bahrain by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    which just happens to host a very large US naval base