Comments for China Blocks Access to Twitter, Flickr, Bing

China Blocks Access to Twitter, Flickr, Bing

2009-06-02T16:02:56Z

In preparation for the 20th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre on June 4th, China has started to block a number of web sites, including Twitter, Flickr, Blogger, Hotmail, and Microsoft's new search engine Bing. Tech-savvy Internet users in China, of course, know how to circumvent the Great Firewall, but for the large majority of Chinese Internet users, these sites will remain blocked for the foreseeable future. In addition to these high-profile sites, the Guardian also reports that the Great Firewall now also blocks access to more than 6,000 online forums affiliated with colleges and universities.

]]> In March, China also blocked access to Google's YouTube. As the Chinese government does not seem to release a list of blocked sites, it is hard to find an exact number for how many sites are currently blocked, though there are a number of tools that allow you to check whether a given site has been blocked. The last time the Great Firewall made the news was in the run-up to the Olympics, where Western reporters were supposed to have full access to the Internet, but found that some sites were still blocked.

Sadly, there is also some evidence that while the Chinese government is still keenly aware of the events of June 4th 1989, a large number of young Chinese know very little about the event.

Comment from Youngistaan on 2009-06-02

2009-06-02T16:54:04Z

I am not understanding what china wants. They have there own huge internet network and now they blocking these sites access. This is F*ck

Comment from Elliott Ng on 2009-06-02

2009-06-02T17:00:04Z

Richard, while most Western press focuses on how students and young people in China today are focused on pragmatic issues like the economy, in contrast to the more idealistic youth of 1989, you hint at a more interesting issue which is the "collective amnesia" of the event that is now the case among most Chinese youth that are not reading English-language sources or fluent in 1 other language outside of Mandarin. I posted on Sensitive Anniversaries and Edited Memories Kaiser Kuo, a respected China media and technology writer, brought up the point these blocks don't really affect the mainstream of the 300mm+ Chinese netizens who don't go to these foreign sites. The true nature of Chinese censorship is much more insidious, with decentralized content filtering of domestically licensed Websites, where most of the traffic really is. So when foreigners obsess about blocked access via the Great Firewall, they focus Western outrage on really what is...

Comment from Ibrahim | ZenCollegeLife.com on 2009-06-02

2009-06-02T17:05:47Z

This just means that while we play on the internet all day they will actually get things done.

I wish I could stay away from facebook...

Comment from Party Rentals on 2009-06-02

2009-06-03T05:12:28Z

It is still confusing why some social networking sites has banned in china which has a huge population and using internet more.

Comment from Tom on 2009-06-02

2009-06-03T05:57:43Z

I didn't knew about twitter before reading this article. i.e., how to use it. Dating in London

Comment from omg on 2009-06-03

2009-06-03T09:18:14Z

Oh my god,this is true, i can't acces twitter and any other hosting service.

--http://www.simenibiz.com--

Comment from website promotion services on 2009-06-03

2009-06-03T10:35:55Z

I love to read this article

Kaiser Kuo, a respected China media and technology writer, brought up the point these blocks don't really affect the mainstream of the 300mm+ Chinese netizens who don't go to these foreign sites. The true nature of Chinese censorship is much more insidious, with decentralized content filtering of domestically licensed Websites, where most of the traffic really is. So when foreigners obsess about blocked access via the Great Firewall, they focus Western outrage on really what is an insignificant aspect of the overall social media program of control/management.

Thanks

Comment from twitter money on 2009-06-03

2009-06-03T10:52:15Z

what are the possibilities that twitter marketing will work? i truly think that we need to have real value to give to our loyal follower . getting the right content to get the right customer? it also let your ideas or anyone's ideas spreading all across the minds all over the world. then it is time when twitter money is a 'way to go'!

Comment from Smokey on 2009-06-03

2009-06-04T04:06:26Z

it's a clash of the Titans -- China versus Microsoft

Comment from söve on 2009-06-04

2009-06-04T10:24:43Z

The true nature of Chinese censorship is much more insidious, with decentralized content filtering of domestically licensed Websites, where most of the traffic really is.

Comment from virtual worlds online for kids on 2009-06-04

2009-06-04T14:46:55Z

What's their reason behind blocking these sites?

Comment from Laptop battery on 2009-06-05

2009-06-05T08:14:38Z

Oh my god,this is true, i can't acces twitter and any other hosting service. Sony VGP-BPL2C

Also I cant see any these social website without proexy.

Comment from battery on 2009-06-21

2009-06-22T06:19:30Z

really?but i can't open twitter..they block chinese ip adress.
/--www.diggingshop--/

Comment from sbs sonuçları on 2009-07-03

2009-07-03T07:26:18Z

I really like this post. Thanks for this article, Anyone got any more info about it? I am now your blog' s rss follower. you are now in my bookmarks.

Comment from laptop battery on 2009-07-31

2009-08-01T00:41:52Z

why do not allow me to comment?

Comment from London Escorts on 2009-08-01

2009-08-01T10:24:18Z

Dont worry again It will give full power to use.

Comment from Dubai Escorts on 2009-08-09

2009-08-09T10:29:21Z

I hope one day China will understand that open communication can only benefit the country. Meanwhile I understand that some the new generation of hand held devices have the tecnology to bypass this censorship.

Comment from Mini Laptops on 2009-10-04

2009-10-04T18:54:32Z

I am now your blog' s rss follower. you are now in my bookmarks.

Comment from Viva on 2009-10-30

2009-10-30T13:14:36Z

From your post, I understand that Chinese government do not realise how many people are now sitting without job... Sad situation.

Comment from Lily on 2009-10-30

2009-10-30T13:20:42Z

Tones of quality specialists will move from the country... The reason - ridiculous laws.

Comment from CLE on 2009-10-30

2009-10-30T13:24:32Z

One more strange China Law: It is now illegal to bind a child's feet to stop them growing.
???

Comment from Statistics on 2009-10-30

2009-10-30T13:26:05Z

And one more: It is against the law to store more than 1 ton of explosive (fireworks) in the celar of a house.

Comment from Park Lane on 2009-10-30

2009-10-30T13:27:54Z

Chinese people are too smart, they find tones of ways to avoid these laws. ;) Surely!