News China tightens grip on web news

http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2005/09/26/china_censorship/

 

There will be ways to get around it.

If you have a blog at blogspot, what can china to do shut it down? Nothing.
But it's unfortunate it has to end up like this.

 

This is sad news. I hope some people are able to still use computers freely, not sure how this would be done, although SSH pops into my head.

China sucks though, its not a huge surprise they're doing this. If they didnt get a lid on that interweb thing then they'd start to lose control, this way the PRC can keep going for ever and ever and ever.

Block the entire site using their big firewall? Change the DNS systems to reroute all requests for that domain to a government site, while logging who attempts to gain access and automatically marking them down for political re-orientation? Lot's, I'd imagine.

 

Frankly it's like trying to plug a hole in a hot water filled dam with an ice cube. pointless, fruitless and eventually just a waste of time.

 

Maybe, but they seem to have been doing a pretty good job of it so far. Eventually, you're right...information follows a principle of entropy. It WANTS to be free to people, and the tighter one attempts to control it the more it will push to be released.

In the meantime, it makes an abundantly clear statement of how malicious the PRC is willing to become in an effort to prevent being overthrown. People have a right to think...you can't stop them forever, and as long as you do your country will suffer through a lack of innovation.

 

People have a right to think? Thats an intresting one right there. I don't believe people have the right to think, I believe they earn it, and at varying degrees too. But meh, that's just me arguing over a small thing

 

Its bound to happen. considering all those who had access to the internet who now dont, will see the bad side of it, instead of being fed and believing something from the goverment on how its suppose to help them from restricting them from freedom of infomation the web has to offer.

 

They've been very sucessful through their efforts so far. But china has too huge a population for this to hold in the long run (in my opinion). They've had a taste of what its like to use a computer freely. It will only take time before they gain the courage to protest. Who knows what will happen... but its definitely not a good thing and no good will result from it in the long run.

 

Tiananmen square mk.2

 

What I'm saying is that with technology advancing leaps and bounds with wireless becoming more common, more powerful, widespread, cheaper it is only a matter of time until owning a wireless network card will more or less grant you unlimited access to the internet. Heck, with sat phones there is unlimited internet access in the whole of China already, albeit at a premium. In the long run China were better off educating people to sensible use of the internet, rather then hiding the virtual cookie jar on a high shelf, knowing full well that anyone having tasted said virtual cookies will do anything in their power to taste them again. Knowledge is means to develop and grow as a nation, the Chinese govenrment might want to stunt their population's growth, but history has proven that a nation's populous is far from tolerant when it comes to being limited. Time will tell, but I have no doubt that the limitations will simply collapse al la berlin wall, mark my words on this one.

 

It's very frightening that in this day and age, there are still some countries that abuse there citizens human rights to such an extent.
We in the west find ourselves in a very fortunate situation, having been born in countries that offer a high level of freedom of speech (not total, that will never be the case), but to have freedom of information is something I would have hoped would be a world wide situation by now.

As some have said there are numerous ways of circumventing the measures put in place by the Chinese government, but those will be beyond the average PC user, only the tech savvy will be able to do so, and at great risk to themselves.
Lets hope that China's wish to join the rest of the free world in trade, will bring a new age of freedom to the people of China in all walks of life.

 

Obviously, eventually it will happen. But within our lifetime? I'm not so sure. So long as the PRC government balance just the right ammounts of liberties, restrictions, and fear, people will for the most part carry on as normal.

 

Ha, so does everything mate; Second Law of Thermodynamics there

 

10 years ago e-mail was beyond the average PC user, today everyone (even my mother in law) has at least one email address. The human race is adaptable and willing to learn if the ultimate reward for their sacrifice is knowledge. I for one will laugh when china finds itself subverted by underground movements that would never have flourished if it was not for their draconian internet laws.

 

They will work to have almost absolute control. They already have about 20 state TV channels, one after the other. Flicking through looses it's meaning when the Chinese Premiere is speaking and they all show the same thing. It's almost comically edited, because the guy would speak, then they would edit in some clapping or people nodding to each other. Also, there was news about how Canada and China signed a trade agreement but the Canadian minister said positive things about China's trade and growth into the world but then went to question their human rights record, of which the latter part was suddenly cut and a commercial break put in it's place.
Totally nuts - makes you appreciate how free our side of things actually is.

 

And the movement will no doubt come from the same quarters as 16 years ago, lets hope they are more successful this time.

 

And less bloody...

 

Yeah, what's with putting the interests of the government ahead of the interests of the people? They're acting like a bunch of communists! Oh wai -

I'd be much more concerned with the implications if this works. If they can successfully filter the news coming in and out of the country, what's stopping other countries from doing the same? I'm surprised more sites weren't shut down in the name of "Homeland Security" with all the other going-ons.

 

Hence why I frown on all this BS about how our country is eroding us right down to a totalitarianism. Most people in this country have about zero clue what it's really like to have state-run media or no freedom of speech. They think their arm's been chopped off the minute somebody doesn't allow them to completely slander the government.

 

Well, if you dont continually fight the institution you end up very quickly like China.