The International Olympic Committee has waded into the debate over China's censorship of the internet.In the wake of some fairly heavy-handed control of media during unrest in Tibet, the IOC is demanding that China allow free access to the net for journalists during the Olympic Games.
[Ironically, I read this on the BBC News website which was unblocked here in Beijing last month.]
Would it be too much to ask for the authorities to loosen up for a little longer than the 16 or 17 days of the Games?
But the Chinese authorities are way ahead of the IOC on this one, if The Atlantic Monthly is to be believed. It reports that Beijing has instructed internet service providers to tweak the Great Firewall which blocks politically sensitive online material.
The plan is to loosen things up in areas where journalists, athletes and foreign officials will be staying for the month of August. Then it's back to business as usual once the expats have packed up and gone home.
So overseas reporters will hardly notice internet censorship during their short time here, and long-suffering Beijing residents will hardly notice that things have been temporarily relaxed. Perfect.
1 comment:
Way cool! Some extremely valid points! I appreciate you penning this article and the rest
of the website is also very good.
Here is my website: laser spine institute
Post a Comment