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China to Require Weblogs to Register With Government

By Jeralyn, Section Foreign Affairs
Posted on Tue Jun 07, 2005 at 12:52:37 PM EST
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China has declared war on bloggers. It will shut down all weblogs that fail to register with the Government.

The new initiative was announced in a decree issued by the ministry for the information industry (MII) on 20 March, which said all China-based websites - commercial or otherwise - would have to register by 30 June, giving the complete identity of the persons responsible for the sites. According to the authorities, the aim is to control information that "endanger the country."

Reporters Without Borders responds:

"The Chinese authorities use this type of announcement above all to intimidate website operators and bloggers," the press freedom organisation said. "The authorities also hope to push the most outspoken online sites to migrate abroad where they will become inaccessible to those inside China because of the Chinese filtering systems."

Reporters Without Borders added : "Those who continue to publish under their real names on sites hosted in China will either have to avoid political subjects or just relay the Communist Party's propaganda. This decision will enable those in power to control online news and information much more effectively."

[hat tip to Huffington Post.]

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    • Display: Sort:
    China to Require Weblogs to Register With Government | 9 comments (9 topical)
    Re: China to Require Weblogs to Register With Gove (none / 0) (#2)
    by Mreddieb on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:48 PM EST
    Remember the repig promise that Free enterprise would open China to Democracy. Well just another repiglican fantasy smashed on the rocks of reality. Remember Capitalists did just fine under the Nazis. The right likes to suggest Democracy & Business are one and the same. Sorry it's another lie to add to the endless stream of wingnut propaganda.

    Re: China to Require Weblogs to Register With Gove (none / 0) (#3)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:49 PM EST
    I'll agree kdog. That's why I never buy anything if I can find a label that says it was made in the PRC. Sadly, but obviously, the Bush admin will never call for such a boycott. It would kill Wal-Mart, one of their biggest contributors, for one. Ed Beckmann- Indeed. Free markets have done so much for the former Soviet Union too, though a great deal of that blame has to go to the process by which they converted their economy (i.e. selling outright to the Mafia).

    Re: China to Require Weblogs to Register With Gove (none / 0) (#4)
    by narius on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:49 PM EST
    Why boycott them? They will just do business with our competitors (the Europeans)? The best solution is technological. Host their website over here and keep them anonymous. I doubt the PRC government can exhort the customers' name from US based web/blog-hosting services.

    Re: China to Require Weblogs to Register With Gove (none / 0) (#5)
    by veloer on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:49 PM EST
    Just how long before "the good" people of this country vote in reps (repubs) who will vote for the same thing in the U.S.A.

    Re: China to Require Weblogs to Register With Gove (none / 0) (#6)
    by pigwiggle on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:49 PM EST
    I don’t know how effective boycotts (or economic sanctions) are. Hasn’t worked for Cuba. Fidel is still around and the Cubans are poorer than ever. Lets do business with the Chinese and let them worry about what kind of government they have; it is ultimately in their power to change it, as is obvious, reflected by history. Anyway, I believe as China becomes an economic superpower (they are set to outstrip the US in ~40 yr.) and the Chinese people become affluent the change is inevitable.

    Re: China to Require Weblogs to Register With Gove (none / 0) (#7)
    by Ernesto Del Mundo on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:49 PM EST
    Anyway, I believe as China becomes an economic superpower (they are set to outstrip the US in ~40 yr.) and the Chinese people become affluent the change is inevitable.
    Yeah and like you inferred, the United States will go the other way...poorer and with less human rights. Bush has us well on our way there already, doesn't he?

    Re: China to Require Weblogs to Register With Gove (none / 0) (#8)
    by Che's Lounge on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:49 PM EST
    Veloer, Agreed. Time to dust off the sedition laws. We are all criminals. "It's OK. Just use this here filter!" Narius, Great idea.

    Re: China to Require Weblogs to Register With Gove (none / 0) (#9)
    by Wile ECoyote on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:50 PM EST
    Ed: I was waffling until I read your post and your references of repig and repiglican opened my eyes! How could I have over looked that agrument! You have changed my mind, bro! Good thing you did not say booger! I would be on the corner here in Japan (Atsugi) shouting at the people playing patchinko in Gorilla pachinko about the evils of repigs!

    Re: China to Require Weblogs to Register With Gove (none / 0) (#10)
    by kdog on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:50 PM EST
    I see your points about economic sanctions, only the people will suffer, like Cuba. I'd settle for harsh criticism from the admin.

    China to Require Weblogs to Register With Government | 9 comments (9 topical)