April 23rd 2011
The Jasmine revolution has spooked authorities in China, who now see the Net as able to incubate and spread revolution. Even just the worry of instability in China is relevant to economies around the world.
March 6th 2011
A story arc is growing in China that Google is not just a search engine tool — it is a tool to extend American hegemony…and that the influence of social media in recent Arab revolutions just proves that point. The story, now on 300 party sites, paints online media from the West is a tool for Western domination no less than opium trade.
December 28th 2009
What will they know of China, who only “.cn” know? The Associated Press reports that China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has posted requirements that all “.cn” china domains be issued only to registered businesses. AP’s coverage also says that any sites that have not registered with the ministry will be “taken off the [...]
March 10th 2009
“It’s your right to arrange Chen Xiao’s life, and it’s my obligation to serve you…”. Chen Xiao has had a tough year. Blizzards covered her home town in China, her area was devastated by an earthquake. Her best friends divorced and her clothing store failed. What’s an entrepreneur to do? Rent your life to the [...]
September 9th 2008
China’s noseless censor-mascots are back, and this time they’ve confiscated Microsoft’s Internet Explorer logo in their quest to intimidate Chinese net users. It’s being used on the very front page of the Xiamen Cyberpolice’s site. Can you imagine what their request for permission to use this iconic logo might sound like? “We’d like to take [...]
August 14th 2008
Kevin Gosper, chairman of the IOC’s press commission, disclosed that Olympic officials negotiated with their Chinese hosts and agreed that certain sensitive Web sites would be blocked on the basis they were not considered Games-related. This would include Chinese language versions of the BBC, Voice of America and Amnesty International. Chinese officials noted that this [...]
June 30th 2008
China’s announcement that it is not preparing to investigate Microsoft seems more like a warning shot than reassurance. Hats off to Computerworld’s Preston Gralla, who points out the strangeness of communist governments complaining about monopolies. Hypocrisy and gamesmanship are likely to be reoccuring themes in the two giants’ relationship.
June 25th 2008
This week, ICANN waded into the issue of providing Internet addresses in non-roman characters. BusinessWeek has detailed coverage of the politics and complexity of countries with multiple languages and dialects who want Internet addressing translated to their native characters and words. The BBC calls this “the biggest Internet shake-up in decades.” Ask a Dumb Question, [...]
June 18th 2008
The US-China Economic and Security Commission held hearings today on access to information and media control in China. There’s more than a little scepticism about promises of openness being more talk than action. IP blogging hero Ron Coleman also came right out today and essentially called China’s recent IP reform announcements a PR effort, which [...]
June 4th 2008
Inspired by the hideous and tacky mascots of the Beijing Olympics, the Internet Surveillance Division of the Public Security Bureau in Shenzhen and the Beijing Police have adopted animated, noseless “censor-mascots” of their own, Jingjing and Chacha. Note the play on words: jing cha means “police” in Chinese. Even as Chinese citizens use the Internet [...]
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