Friday, January 24, 2014

China continues to stifle internet freedoms

Beijing has blocked access to foreign news sites which published offshore holdings of Chinese elite, including The Guardian. The latest episode in the Chinese government's saga of restriction is seen as a move to protect relatives of senior political leaders. Critics admonish the offshoring process and perceived impunity of well-connected, wealthy citizens, saying the information serves the public good. On other occasions, the Chinese government has precluded its country's internet users from viewing sites like The New York Times and Bloomberg.

Perhaps the most startling piece of information in this article, though, illuminates China's policy on dissemination of "untruths" online. If these "untrue" stories are visited more than 5,000 times or shared more than 500, the poster can be tried for defamation, according to recent judicial interpretations. Several posters took it upon themselves to delete related posts and links, citing a desire to avoid investigation and prosecution.

Posted by Colin Wescott

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