Joe McDonald reports for The Associated Press on the efforts of China’s communist leaders to impose new controls on the Internet. Those controls include the controversial true name policy, which requires Chinese users to register using their real names rather than having the option of anonymous posting. Furthermore, McDonald reports that Chinese authorities are getting better at cracking down on VPN technology designed to get around blocking software. The AP article notes an interesting tension between promoting the internet for business and education while simultaneously cracking down on free speech and content deemed subversive.
I’m always amused when Chinese authorities justify restrictions on free speech in light of “harmful rumors.” Second only to my amusement when claims of Chinese cyberespionage are met with retorts that China is a victim of hackers, too.
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