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China Cyber Watchdog Rejects Censorship Critics, Says Internet Must Be 'Orderly' (reuters.com)

Posted by msmash on from the my-way-or-highway dept.

China's top cyber authority on Thursday rejected a recent report ranking it last out of 65 countries for press freedom, saying the internet must be "orderly" and the international community should join it in addressing fake news and other cyber issues. From a report: Ren Xianliang, vice minister of the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), said the rapid development of the country's internet over two decades is proof of its success and that it advocates for the free flow of information. "We should not just make the internet fully free, it also needs to be orderly... The United States and Europe also need to deal with these fake news and rumors," Ren told journalists without elaborating.

7 of 78 comments (clear)

  1. Translation by DaMattster · · Score: 3, Insightful

    We must control content that would undermine our authority. I can't believe the Chinese Communist Party actually thinks people are dumb enough to believe the shit that they spew.

    1. Re:Translation by Chris+Mattern · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Say what you like, the Chinese Communists took what had been arguably the pre-eminent power in the world (certainly the pre-eminent power in east Asia) but had become a joke in danger of dissolving entirely, and turned it into a world power again. That's bought them a lot of forgiveness from the populace on their methods.

    2. Re:Translation by AlanObject · · Score: 4, Informative

      I can't believe the Chinese Communist Party actually thinks people are dumb enough to believe the shit that they spew.

      I'm not sure why you would think this. There are plenty of people right here in the U.S. (and a more than a few spotted right here on /.) that would be perfectly OK with the government regulating the internet in this way. Check in with the anti-porn crusaders if you want an example but there are many more.

      If you have ever been to China, particularly in the well-developed industrial/financial centers, many if not most of them view the Communist party as ideological bureaucrats currently in charge, frequently annoying and sometimes dangerous, but an entity to be worked with and around. Bribed as necessary. They then get on with the work of being successful capitalists which they consider themselves.

    3. Re:Translation by Opportunist · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Neither the Chinese Communist Party nor our parties actually believe people are dumb enough to buy this shit.

      But they also know that people can't do jack shit against it.

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

      They control the information their citizens receive, and they don't care what other nations think. They're insular and authoritarian. They don't need people to be dumb to believe what they say. They just need to keep control and repeat what they want people to believe.

  2. At least the Chinese have clarity by PhrostyMcByte · · Score: 3, Interesting

    The Chinese have no expectation of "real news" -- *all* of their mainstream news is filtered through the lens of their government, and they know it.

    In a small way this might put them at a better position than USA right now, where many people have a disconnect believing their news couldn't possibly be "fake news".

  3. When will Twitter use that excuse? by Jerry · · Score: 2

    I don't think it will be long before Twitter, Google and Facebook use that same excuse to justify censorship on their platforms.

    --

    Running with Linux for over 20 years!