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Gov't Censorship Pushing Users To More Private Messaging In China

Posted by Soulskill on from the best-defense-is-a-really-really-good-defense dept.

An anonymous reader writes What happens when the Chinese government drastically restricts the type of speech that can be used in their country's most popular public forum? Users start migrating to more private options, naturally. Microblogging service Sina Weibo is bleeding users, while the semiprivate WeChat is growing expansively. It's growing so quickly that the government is stepping up its efforts to monitor and delete conversations that don't meet its exacting standards. The site's posting rules have developed in an interesting way, given the lack of free speech: "WeChat allows the creation of public accounts that anyone can follow, but limits posts to one a day. In addition, access to public accounts is not possible on cellphones, making it more difficult, for instance, to launch an incriminating photo of a public official into the blogosphere. Comments are also deleted after a few days, making long-term discussions challenging and erasing a historical record." Is this the natural result of government meddling in online conversations? What will chat services in China (and other speech-stifling nations) look like in another five or ten years?

12 of 47 comments (clear)

  1. China is doing it SO wrong. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    You're not supposed to suppress dissent - just privatise the media, consolidate it, and drown out your opponents.

    Have they learned nothing from the US?

    *checks debt clock* oh fair enough

    1. Re:China is doing it SO wrong. by AHuxley · · Score: 1

      They should read Plato's Cave https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/... and understand what the USA has got so perfect.
      Give the people all the far left, right, far right populist, pundits, crusaders against corrupt politicians, faith based groups, labor rights activists, news aggregator sites, fronts for foundations, fronts for tax free think tanks, charities and self made talk radio stars they want.
      Over time the thinking public will level out onto some online community and quote 1984 or/and libertarian authors against trolls and government provocateurs.
      If they do protest they are herded into pre arranged free speech zones to listen to their leaders give passionate rants about great court victories or their freedoms winning over new people.
      Go back home, post to forums/web 2.0, emerge to be herded into pre arranged free speech zone every few months to be shared in full HD on web 2.0 for free.
      A few random take down notices really make the supporters feel like they are winning.
      No anti Vietnam war or 1980's Eastern Europe optics to worry about. Just well funded right wing foundation fools and far left talking points preaching to the choir.
      Dont worry about any opposition, protect and project it 24/7.

      --
      Domestic spying is now "Benign Information Gathering"
  2. wait wait wait... by ganjadude · · Score: 2

    Comments are also deleted after a few days, making long-term discussions challenging and erasing a historical record.

    so let me get this straight... the country with arguably one of the best written histories over millennia, is no longer allowing history to be maintained?

    --
    have you seen my sig? there are many others like it but none that are the same
    1. Re:wait wait wait... by ThatsMyNick · · Score: 1

      so let me get this straight... the country with arguably one of the best written histories over millennia, is no longer allowing history to be maintained?

      Victors and the rulers still get to keep making and writing history. Peasants, dont.

    2. Re:wait wait wait... by swillden · · Score: 1

      Comments are also deleted after a few days, making long-term discussions challenging and erasing a historical record.

      so let me get this straight... the country with arguably one of the best written histories over millennia, is no longer allowing history to be maintained?

      Nonsense. The government continues recording detailed historical information, just as its predecessors did.

      --
      Note to ACs: I usually delete AC replies without reading them. If you want to talk to me, log in.
    3. Re:wait wait wait... by gstoddart · · Score: 1

      so let me get this straight... the country with arguably one of the best written histories over millennia, is no longer allowing history to be maintained?

      If it goes against that the government has decreed to be true, yes.

      Ask an average Chinese citizen what happened in Tainanmen Square in April of 1989. And they will either tell you "nothing at all", or that some unruly dissidents needed to be quieted down. Their understanding of what happened doesn't match what those of us who watched it live on TV remember.

      In fact, the two are nothing at all alike, if they know about it at all.

      Give it another 10-15 years, and China might not be the only country applying a little revisionist history to shape people's understanding of events.

      Oppressive governments like to rewrite history. It makes it easier to control the plebes.

      --
      Lost at C:>. Found at C.
  3. Re:time to take back the internet by ganjadude · · Score: 1

    the internet is nothing but a bunch of networks connected. You do have options here, its more difficult to do things privately, but it can be, and is being done

    --
    have you seen my sig? there are many others like it but none that are the same
  4. other speech-stifling nations by fustakrakich · · Score: 1

    You mean like the US... and every other country on the planet? Does anyone notice what happens to people that try to expose corruption?

    --
    “He’s not deformed, he’s just drunk!”
  5. Re:time to take back the internet by ganjadude · · Score: 1

    and when the majority uses it, the gov will crack it, and the minority will still be one step ahead. sadly it is a cat and mouse game

    --
    have you seen my sig? there are many others like it but none that are the same
  6. Re:Sorry, forgot to post link... apk by Zontar+The+Mindless · · Score: 2

    By publishing this, Slashdot is damaging its reputation.

    Slashdot didn't publish it. The NY Times did.

    --
    Il n'y a pas de Planet B.
  7. Re:Sorry, forgot to post link... apk by Zontar+The+Mindless · · Score: 1

    No, they're reporting that it ran in the NYT, which is exactly what they're supposed to be doing.

    --
    Il n'y a pas de Planet B.
  8. Great post by sawyk12 · · Score: 1

    thanks