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Internet China Defends Right to Police Internet
Michael Hoffman (Blog) - February 16, 2006 6:44 PM
Print 41 comment(s) - last by fallacies.. on Feb 19 at 3:51 PM
Now that the US government is getting involved, it has some people wondering why any government is involved in the first place

Everyone has something to say about privacy issues and whether or not Yahoo and Google should censor material for the Chinese government.  Earlier today, Chinese officials argued that it has the right to police the Internet in any way that it deems appropriate for the citizens of China.  This statement comes a day after four companies spoke in front of Congress on charges that blame the companies for helping limit free speech in return for market access.      

Yahoo, Google, Cisco Systems, and Microsoft were recently grilled at a congressional hearing about human-rights violations and censorship because of various decisions made by each company.  It has been well known that China is notorious for censoring and arresting users that don't abide by the strict rules that the government has put in place.  Specifically, Google is under fire from critics for bowing down and agreeing to censor content so the company is allowed to do business in China.  Microsoft is blamed for removing a blog that was too critical of the government.  Yahoo allegedly gave information to the government which led to a crackdown on Chinese citizens and journalists.   

With some analysts speculating that the number of Internet search users in China may increase from 100 million to 187 million people by 2007, we should become acclimated to the possibility that more companies will do whatever the Chinese government wishes in return for open market access.

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RE: WTF?
By dmcanally on 2/16/2006 7:55:07 PM , Rating: 1
I may be wrong here… you have no place or right to tell another government/country what is right or wrong. If you don’t like it, don’t go live in or visit China. If a Chinese citizen doesn’t like it, they can leave.


RE: WTF?
By PandaBear on 2/16/2006 8:01:12 PM , Rating: 3
You sir, are a dumb f*** that has never lived in a suppressed country. People can't just leave and be an illegal immigrant somewhere else, it is not that simple.

My family was lucky enough to leave, but many of our relatives aren't.


RE: WTF?
By Ard on 2/16/2006 10:35:42 PM , Rating: 2
I'm sorry, but he's right to a point and you're a "dumbfuck" for calling him a "dumbfuck". The problem with America and the majority of Americans is that they can believe they can interject their own cultural views and dictate the social and political norms of another country. Sorry, but the world doesn't work that way.

What we believe is right and wrong pertains to us and us only. Do I agree with China's policies? Hell no. I think blatant censorship and arrests for political "disobedience" are draconian and smack in the face of liberty. However, it's not my place to decide that China's rights to privacy and freedom of speech are wrong.

The simple fact of the matter is this: China is a sovereign nation and has every right to decide what their citizens can and cannot view. Companies can either accept that view and do business or try to make a point about basic freedoms and not do business. Somehow I think companies care more about money than making a political statement about China.


RE: WTF?
By Jedix123 on 2/16/2006 10:57:49 PM , Rating: 2
China is a soverign state that is ruled by a few powerful and sometimes corrupt head who has little right to decide what their citizens can and cannot view.

Sorry I just couldn't believe your statement having lived in China and been a citizen.


RE: WTF?
By epadilla19 on 2/17/06, Rating: 0
RE: WTF?
By dmcanally on 2/17/2006 2:32:31 PM , Rating: 2
I may be an asshole for saying this, but it doesn’t seem that Chinese citizens are too interested in freedom or they would have had a revolution by now. I guess I just think that the only people that deserve freedom and liberty are the ones that are willing to fight and die for it. I am sorry if that hurts your feelings.

America had a revolution over a tax being to high. You are going to tell me that the chinese aren't willing to revolt over being enslaved?


RE: WTF?
By Jedix123 on 2/17/2006 7:07:59 PM , Rating: 2
The national economy is thundering ahead at an unprecedented growth rate several times that of the US, there is cheap medical care so you don't have to pay an arm and a leg to see the doctor, and with only knifes at their side, do you really think there's going to be an uprising?


RE: WTF?
By Plasmoid on 2/16/2006 8:07:47 PM , Rating: 3
But then its not easy to leave China.

Its not like the Chinese had much choice in their current form of goverment so i dont think its very nice to just stand back completly and ignore things.

As regards censorship as a whole, thats something we in the so called west are used to but dont know it. Google.fr is censored so nazi searches are more in line with what the goverment wanted. Newspapers cant actually print anything the want... just anything within reason.

For everything that is being brought up over the Chinese goverment on the internet you can fraw pretty glaring parallels with other western goverments. Its not like google isent being forced to turn over search data to the US goverment, and microsoft already has. As to wheter arrests coem from them i would say its quite likely.

The real problem I have is not with what the Chinese goverment is going, after all the internet is just a new form of media and its freedom leads to many problems. My problem, and I think the real problem, is that the laws being applied by Chinese govermentare morally wrong. But then, morals have always varied from country to country.


RE: WTF?
By dmcanally on 2/17/2006 2:34:00 PM , Rating: 2
It is either live as a slave or die free. Out of those options I will die free.


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