What Can't You Say On China's Social Networks?

An anonymous reader writes "China's 450 million Internet users have taken to social networks in a big way. But these social networking sites, founded on the promise of free expression, have an uneasy existence under an authoritarian regime that punishes certain kinds of expression. This article from IEEE Spectrum tells the story of Sina Weibo, the white-hot social networking phenomenon that has taken over China in the past few years. Citizens have used the microblogging service to protest and rebel — but the Chinese government is getting more sophisticated in its handling of these online grumblings. Side note: an English-language version of Sina Weibo is reportedly on the way. Wonder if it will take off in the US?"

Comments

What Can't You Say On US's Internets?

[cgeys]

United States's 200 million Internet users have taken to internets in a big way. But these internets, founded on the promise of free expression, have an uneasy existence under an authoritarian regime that punishes certain kinds of expression. This comment tells the story of the series of tubes, the hot social networking phenomenon that has taken over the world in the past few years. Citizens have used the internets to protest, to rebel and to share knowledge — but the US government is getting more sophisticated in its handling of these online grumblings.

Not allowed is, for example:
- Online gambling
- "Obscene" or violent porn, even if only acted
- Ordering cheaper medical drugs from other countries
- Ordering pot or drugs
- Sharing knowledge if it's copyrighted
- Sharing entertainment if it's copyrighted
- Revealing wrongdoing within US government (Wikileaks)
- Posting knowledge of how to make bombs or certain other technical information
- Implementing your application or website in a certain way if it's software patented
- Anything else that hurts the business of Big Money Intangible Industries (Pharma, RIAA, MPAA, BSA)

Re:What Can't You Say On US's Internets?

[rainmouse]

If you put up a blog post saying "I'm fed up with communism, let's move to something else! Oh yeah, and the Politburo should just up and die!", men in a black Volga will visit you sooner than you can say "Who's that knocking on the door so late at night?".

And that is exactly why you should fight the removal of every little freedom, unless of course you want to finally end up like that. Playing the ''its much worse elsewhere so its OK for them to screw us over a little bit more each day'' card wont fly unless you are fine with the idea that people in the West are already arrested and jailed for the transfer of information.

Difference?

[headkase]

In China they arrest you for content, in the USA they just ignore you. You have equal effect in both but more freedom to mouth off in one.