Information Society Watch

February 4, 2008, Howard French, New York Times

This article describes the growing phenomenon of resentment and resistance against increased control of the Internet by Chinese censors. In the months leading to the Beijing Olympics, the authorities are cracking down on signs of dissent and also enforcing censorship by restricting sites with no discernible political content. Even those who were previously indifferent to Internet censorship are now becoming resentful and taking action by filing lawsuits against illegal blocking of sites or participating in a growing community of hackers who devise solutions to work around the blocks. The majority of Chinese users are relatively unaffected by the Internet censorship because their web use focuses mainly on games and messaging services, and they primarily browse entertainment and sports news. However, even these are under threat as exemplified by the growing restrictions on popular sites, including YouTube, Blogspot and Wikipedia. Sceptics say that the government is too powerful and has too many resources and the Great Firewall will adapt. However, others maintain that creating broader awareness is itself a victory that proves that public opinion is a important limitation of the power of the censors.

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