The Great Firewall of China By XIAO QIANG and SOPHIE BEACH http://www.latimes.com/news/la-op-beach25aug25.story?coll=la%2Dheadlines%2Dsuncomment NEW YORK -- Last month, the Chinese government announced that some 45.8 million of its citizens had access to the Internet. Three years ago, only 2 million Chinese people were online. At this rate, half of China's nearly 1.3 billion people will be online in five years. For supporters of a free and open exchange of ideas, this sounds like progress. But while the rapid development of the Internet in China is indeed impressive, we must not ignore a less cheerful corollary development: The country's leaders are also escalating efforts to strengthen the "Great Firewall," which controls what information China's Internet users can view and distribute. Since 1995, more than 60 laws have been enacted governing Internet activities in China. More than 30,000 state security employees are currently conducting surveillance of Web sites, chat rooms and private e-mail messages--including those sent from home computers. Thousands of Internet cafes have been closed in recent months, and those remaining have been forced to install "Internet Police 110" software, which filters out more than 500,000 banned sites with pornographic or so-called subversive content. Dozens of people have been arrested for their online activities; in 2001, eight people were arrested on subversion charges for publishing or distributing information online. This month, a court in Tianshui City, Gansu province, sentenced former police officer Li Dawei to 11 years in prison for downloading and printing 500 "reactionary" articles from the Internet, which could include a broad range of information that the government simply finds politically unacceptable. The newest section of the Great Firewall is a set of regulations enacted Aug. 1 requiring Web publishers to censor their own sites or risk being shut down. Having realized that censoring the millions of Web sites now online is a behemoth task, the government has compelled private Internet service providers, Web publishers and Internet cafe owners to do the job for them. Such restrictive regulations clearly trample the Internet's spirit of free expression and democracy. They are also destroying the buds of free expression in China by directly threatening tens of thousands of individual Web sites publishing increasingly independent and diverse viewpoints. In response, Chinese Internet users have launched new protests against state censorship of the Web. At the fore of this movement is the widely circulated Declaration of Internet Citizens' Rights, which demands free expression and freedom of information and association on the Internet. The declaration's authors challenge the constitutionality of the new regulations and defend their rights to publish online by quoting the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant for Civil and Political Rights. The Internet declaration then states: "A modern society is an open society. As the Chinese people again face a historic transition into a modern society ... any measure that closes China only harms China's emergence into the international community and Chinese society's peace and progress.... Defending Internet freedom is an urgent matter." Initiated by 18 prominent writers, lawyers and private Web masters, the declaration immediately gained the support of more than 600 Web publishers, Internet users and other Chinese "netizens." Among the 18 initiators of the declaration is Wan Yanhai, Web site publisher of the AIDS Action Project, a Beijing-based education and activism group whose offices authorities closed in June. With reporting on AIDS officially censored in the state media, Wan's Web site, now on a server outside China, is the only independent source of information about the impending HIV/AIDS crisis. (A U.N. report has predicted that 10 million people in China will be infected with HIV by 2010.) On Aug. 1, Wan initiated a rare act of civil disobedience in China by circulating an online appeal to all independent Web publishers, asking them to join him in protesting the new regulations by turning themselves into authorities for operating "illegal" Web sites. Since then, Wan has continued to push the boundaries of free expression by using Internet chat rooms, online forums and e-mail groups to boldly advocate for his cause. Overseas organizations have helped amplify domestic voices like Wan's by providing distribution channels, content that is forbidden domestically and technological means to evade the firewall. While Chinese citizens are fighting against Internet censorship, the reaction from some leading international high-tech corporations has been shameful. Since March, more than 300 businesses, government offices, universities and other organizations have signed the Public Pledge on Self-Discipline for China's Internet Industry, drafted by the government-approved Internet Society of China. Signatories agree to refrain from "producing, posting or disseminating harmful information that may jeopardize state security and disrupt social stability." Yahoo, an Internet pioneer that designed one of the Net's most popular search engines, was among the first foreign companies to sign the pledge, and a visit to the Yahoo China site demonstrates the company's compliance. Its search engine has effectively filtered out the vast majority of sites containing terms usually considered subversive by the Chinese government--including "human rights," "Falun Gong" and "Tiananmen 1989." This self-censorship is shocking, especially since Yahoo is currently defending itself on freedom-of-expression grounds in a legal battle with the French government over the right of French users to access online auctions of Nazi memorabilia. The growing Internet rights movement is at the forefront of using Internet technology to open Chinese society. International corporations can and should facilitate this goal by refusing to abide by domestic Internet regulations that violate China's international obligations, including those that come with World Trade Organization membership. As a first step, corporations should refuse to sign the self-discipline pledge and instead support the Internet citizens' rights declaration. The 45.8 million Internet users are also Chinese citizens, and this is what they want and deserve. -------------------------------------------------------------- This whole Hangout is subversive!
Hm... maybe the reporter can write something about FBI monitoring the telecommunication system, or TIPS that install citizen spies, or write about how only China in the whole wide world have employees monitoring the internet and win the Plutzer award. Recently thousands of internet cafes were closed down in China for lack of fire prevention measures and operating licenses, this movement is activated by an fire accident in one illegal internet cafe called "Blue Extreme Speed"in Beijing which killed 24 people two months ago. This is a big news in China and any objective writer should know the actual cause of it. The way this fact is used to support the "firewall" claim without explain its actual cause and context is misleading to say the least. This is a typical way the western reporters twist facts to suit their agendas The internet police softwares are there, but only limited to the internet cafes, residential computers are not required to install them. I've seen large numbers of kids in elementary and middle schools go to internet cafe, play games or srufing internet p*rn sites. If you don't want your 13 year old son being exposed to p*rn that's quite understandable. Dozens people being arrested for online activities? So the Chinese government is killing internet freedom? Geez does the writer know what are hackers and internet pimps? As for banning subversion information online and chargin people who spread such infomation, funny how the article make it sound like it's wrong to prosecute people who wants to overthrow a country. As far as I know that officer downloaded articles that are from the Taiwan independants', for starters, people who supports Taiwan's rebellion is like supporting terrorism in China. AIDS being officially censored in state media? Oh yeah to the extent that I read about that specific U.N report on state media reports. The Chinese are aware of the seriousness of AIDS and drug problem in China. The impending AIDS and drug crisis are reported by Chinese state run media.There is constant TV programs on state run TV stations that expose corrupted govenment officials. Exposing the badness of government is allowed and suddenly AIDs is forbidden to be controlled topic? How about that ? The western reporters of impeccable objectiveness. So the American media is in favor of producing, posting or disseminating harmful information that may jeopardize state security and disrupt social stability? This is outright lies, "human rights" and "Falun Gong" and "Tiananmen 1989" are not terms considered subversive by the Chinese government. In fact, it's ridiculous to believe so. How can some "terms" be considered subversive? Sorry, I'm a Chinese citizen and I don't think that social security and moral standards should be sacrificed for some internet rights. Beside, I was in Beijing in June and using internet everyday without been procecuted while posting remarks like " I hate communism" on CC.net, kind of strange when there's only one undersea cable from China to USA and the 30000 alleged internet spies can read everything I posted huh? The internet should not be a zone in which everything can roam free. Absolute freedom is not practical in this world, even the USA banned certain materials containing pervertic contents. As to Chinese bargaining internet rights with the government, I think it reflects the tolerance of the Chinese government on such matters. The Chinese government has made vast improvement in the last 20 years, such petition for internet rights won't even surface 20 years ago for the fear factor. I'm not saying the Chinese government is an angel, but the prevalent double standard, purposely misleading journalism and one-sided stories often make the Chinese government a victim under false allegations, and this article is one example.
Funny you should post this article...I read this related story earlier today... China blocks Google. Allegedly By Tim Richardson Posted: 02/09/2002 at 15:41 GMT Chinese authorities are feared to have blocked access to popular search engine, Google, ahead of the Communist Party congress in November. Access to Google began being blocked from Saturday, according to Reuters, with experts claiming that the block is coming directly out of Beijing. China has blocked many foreign news services in the past but this is believed to be the first time that a search engine has been censored in this way. No other search engines - including those serviced by Google - are thought to have been hit by the action. Chinese authorities - not known for their liberal attitudes - are believed to have taken the action because Google seemingly provides a window to p*rn and could also compromise national security. Already deeply suspicious of just about everything, China is no stranger to using such strong-arm tactics to regulate the Internet. Last November the Chinese Government shut down 17,500 Internet cafes for failing to block sites considered subversive or pornographic. In July 2001 Beijing shut 2,000 cybercafes and suspended a further 6,000 amid fears that the nation's youth were becoming Net addicts. And last year a report by the Human Rights Watch (HRW) found that China has introduced more than 60 sets of regulations to govern Internet content since the government began permitting commercial Internet accounts in 1995. No one from Google was available for comment at the time of writing. ®
Nearly 18,000 internet cafes have been closed down in China already. A couple of questions: What was "illegal" about the Blue Extreme Speed internet cafe? If it was illegal, why the sudden crackdown on all legitimate cafes? If the official reason for the cafe closings is due to lack of adherance of fire codes, wouldn't it stand to reason that a comparable % of all businesses in China would be closed down (restaurants, etc.)? Is this the case?
x34: There's a lot of underground internet cafes operating without a license. It's estimated 9 of 10 internet cafes are illegal as they don't have licenses. The Blue Extreme Speed didn't have a license, didn't have any fire protection measure, the escape way was blocked with misc. items, and the inside overcramped. The window was framed with wires against theft. The result? No one could escape in the fire. The competition between internet cafes are intense, many owners open illegal cafes in ways to cut down the cost, the price and make more money. Many such illegal cafes are like caves, buried deep in underground basement as the rent is cheap. Ventilation and fire protection sucks, and often little aisle space as they try to cramp in as many computers, seats and people as possible. I've been to three of such illegal cafes. Not only safety isn't ensured, such cafes cut off profits which should go the way of upright owners and evade taxes. There is restaurants that fail to comply with fire codes but their environments are not that bad, and I believe they'll be closed down too if so many people killed in a single fire accident and they don't have licenses and fire protection measures. I know Chinese people who despise those illegal internet cafes and were actually happy to see government closing them down. One of the reason being many owners of such cafes neglect goverment's order that students in school uniforms are not permitted to enter. As to crackdown to legitimate cafes, they were actually closed down for several days for reaccessment in June. When I left Beijing in July I heard that they re-opened. Beijing will not encourage the opening of new internet cafes in the future due to this accident, but I haven't heard of such things for other parts of China. In fact, I recently read an article saying there's a Internet Cafe City opening in a city with over 1000 computers in it. That's quite contradictory to the report of crackdown 18000 "legitimate" cafes, maybe the reporter didn't point out their illegitimate status? Proposing shutting down legitimate cafes as they fail to block p*rn sites and subversive sites are not backed up with facts in the article. From my experience even many illegimate cafes installed internet police software to block such sites. I think the companies or government subsidiary that wrote these programs should be held liable for its failure. This again, is a outright lie. The university I stayed in Beijing offered about 100 computers for internet access at cheaper rate then outside. During shutting down those internet cafes I accessed this site from there. Hard to believe that public schools encourage youth become Net addicts when it's said the government fears it. The articles are not all wrong, google and some other search engines are indeed getting blocked indefinitely under the reason of "purifying the net against p*rn, gambling and othe corrosive influences". I think the Chinese government is taking a defensive stance against all the demonization against China in the world, although it's a breach of internet freedom, and quite impotent as well. Freedom of press is lacking in general and people don't always get info from outside, but considering all the ill-willed and irresponsible materials on the internet against the Chinese government, the motive is quite understandable. I'm against blocking search engines, but I'm also against blowing things out of proportion, portraying speculation as facts and demonizing China. Tough choice.
Originally posted by Panda Hm... maybe the reporter can write something about FBI monitoring the telecommunication system, or TIPS that install citizen spies, or write about how only China in the whole wide world have employees monitoring the internet and win the Plutzer award. Yes the FBI is monitoring for p*rn, gambling, and literature on Taiwan. Dozens people being arrested for online activities? So the Chinese government is killing internet freedom? Geez does the writer know what are hackers and internet pimps? As for banning subversion information online and chargin people who spread such infomation, funny how the article make it sound like it's wrong to prosecute people who wants to overthrow a country. Democracy usually isn't considered subversive, well unless your government is Communist. I don't think you realize how strange you sound defending a Communist regime that imprisons people who want freedom and democracy. As far as I know that officer downloaded articles that are from the Taiwan independants', for starters, people who supports Taiwan's rebellion is like supporting terrorism in China. Seeking independence and the right to self-determination is nothing like terrorism. What a joke. So the American media is in favor of producing, posting or disseminating harmful information that may jeopardize state security and disrupt social stability? The American media is in favor of producing what the public wants but in China they produce what big brother wants. Nothing that will jeopardize state security and disrupt social stability... like American p*rn stars or information on abuses by the Chinese government. This is outright lies, "human rights" and "Falun Gong" and "Tiananmen 1989" are not terms considered subversive by the Chinese government. In fact, it's ridiculous to believe so. How can some "terms" be considered subversive? subversive adj : in opposition to a civil authority or government [syn: insurgent, seditious] n : a radical supporter of political or social revolution Sorry, I'm a Chinese citizen and I don't think that social security and moral standards should be sacrificed for some internet rights. How about voting rights? The internet should not be a zone in which everything can roam free. Absolute freedom is not practical in this world, even the USA banned certain materials containing pervertic contents. The internet is precisely meant to be a zone where information can roam free and be shared around the world. What has the USA banned on the internet? Child p*rn? Please... As to Chinese bargaining internet rights with the government, I think it reflects the tolerance of the Chinese government on such matters. Are you serious? The Chinese government has made vast improvement in the last 20 years, such petition for internet rights won't even surface 20 years ago for the fear factor. Al Gore didn't invent the internet until about ten years ago. I'm not saying the Chinese government is an angel, but the prevalent double standard, purposely misleading journalism and one-sided stories often make the Chinese government a victim under false allegations, and this article is one example. Perhaps if China had a policy of free press the Chinese people and all of the people of the world would know exactly what your government is doing to it's people.
Hm.. I've talked about the ridiculousness of Taiwan's independance for countless times here. I'm not going back into those arguments again. I'll just point out one thing here, the problem is not the desire for some Taiwanese to go independance. The problem is that they assert that the mainlanders have no say in such a process, which is absurd since if it was not for the fact Taiwan belongs to China, Taiwan will not be given back to China after WWII, and Taiwanese would be bunch of Japanese without Taiwan and Chinese culture roots. Let me ask a hypothetical question, if Alaskans somehow want to go independant, should they tell you it's none of your f**king business? That's the way how the Taiwanese independants is handling this whole matter and why it's not acceptable. Chinese government rules Taiwan even until now, Chinese lives in Taiwan, my ancesters went to Taiwan anytime they want to as it's part of China and now as a Chinese I don't have a say in Taiwan's fate? and I should be forbidden to set my feet on my own land as it is right now? It's those Taiwan independants who's trying to rob my and 1.3 billion people's rights here. Political rights can come later but a piece of land is gone forever once it's gone. Taiwan is democratic and it sucks for its unbelievable shamelessness. Stop assume that a free man who can vote is automatically angels without ill intentions. The article didn't say democracy is subversive in China's government's eyes. In fact China has a dummy democratic system. The idea of democracy is not subversive in China, but illegal actions(of course subject to the government's definition) to push for it is subverisve, such as receiving foreign aid in such effort as a high offense. Knowing foreign forces are intervening with China's politics is offensive, as you know about the alleged Al Gore campaign money buyout. To my understanding overthrowing the current government doesn't lead to the intention of building a democratic government. Some Taiwanese dream about the collapse of China, not so that China can be democratic but they can carry out their selfish agendas. So let's not simply equate people who appeal to freedom and democracy as good hearted people without criminalistic intentions. They might sell freedom and democracy to attract people to overthrow China, just like Bin Laden using religion to recruit Muslims to kill Americans. They might sell freedom and democracy to some naive Chinese for national secrets. One just don't know without objective and unpolluted infomation. As to defending a Communist regime, I don't mind people bash the Chinese government based on facts than speculation. That's just a fantasy as there's no such a thing as criticizing China objectively. I just hope people can open their eyes and acknowledge the fact that the government is improving and making progress. I lived in China during my earlier years and came back for several times and each time is amazed at the speed of China's social and economic development under its capitalistic economic approach. I lived in capitalistic as well communistic countries and I know one when I see one. The schools are using voting to elect class leaders, public price hearings are held, people are allowed to limitedly and openly criticize the government. Such things are not there when I lived in China. Rather than defending a communism region, I view myself as telling foreigners the actual undergoing in China which otherwise they can't know about for the media blockade. To tell the truth, after the cold hard recent history of poverty in China I'm willing to trade democracy and freedom for bread, if that's what it takes. As long as I can still get voting rights later. Only people who starved truly knows that bread, clothes and shelter are things much more important than filling out some ballots. I and my countrymen are sick of the old communistic days when only one pound of meat is one month's ration and millions people dies from famine and droughts simply because China's a weak and poor country. Call me selling my soul to devils to support the current government, but as long as they push the economy forward all other things are secondary, as lives themselves are more important then added well being of lives, such as political rights. I'm not alone on this among Chinese either. I think as long as China's economy keeps progressing one day China will be democratic, as evidenced by the history of Taiwan, Korea and Singapore. All were under dictatorship during their economic takeoff and later on turned democratic after industrialization. Whether internet should be a complete free zone is debatable, actually there is constant debate ongoing in America. Are you suggesting that Americans who push for internet filtering are all Chinese communists? Please... To answer you question, yes I do think child p*rn should be banned in general, not only on the internet. Oh yeah, I mean since when dissidents under big brother's ruling can or dare go out, ask people to sign petition against government sanction and still not to be thrown into prison? Perhaps if the western media can uphold journalistic objectiveness under their solemn but never fulfilled oath, stop selling sex and violence, stop taking celebrities underskirt pictures, stop demonizing China, stop saying "Yao Ming is a Shawn Bradley"(when none of them actually saw Yao play), stop abusing freedom of speech as an excuse for their stereotyping, racial profiling, phantom enemy making and paranoia spreading maybe the Chinese government can be a lil more lax in letting the Chinese people enjoy more freedom of speech without worrying them being polluted by mind trash. Of course, they do restrict freedom of press for their selfish desires but the underperformance of the western media is helping such restriction by providing a cause for restraining the press. I'm for free press but I think nothing in this world should be absolutely free, including the internet. Being absolutely free signifies sole and total reliance on self discipline, and we all know what happens when there is no law and self discipline takes control.
