Comments for Chinese Internet Strike Proposed to Protest Censorship Software

Chinese Internet Strike Proposed to Protest Censorship Software

2009-06-24T00:29:23Z

On July 1, the Chinese government will be rolling out censorship software on every new computer sold in the country. The software, called Green Dam Youth Escort, is intended to block pornography and possibly filter politically disruptive material, all while quietly gathering private user data.

One man in particular is staging a protest against the censorship: He is calling for everyone in China to abandon the Internet on the day the new rule takes effect. According to GlobalPost, Beijing artist and prominent political critic Ai Weiwei wants other Chinese citizens to realize their own power.

]]> "I gave almost no explanation about why I'm doing it," said Weiwei, well known as a cultural revolutionary and investigative blogger, to GlobalPost's correspondent. "I just give the structure and people will fill in their own meaning. I don't want to be political first. I wanted to set up an act that everyone can easily accept, and then realize the power later."

Weiwei has a reputation for being a hugely prolific blogger, generating around 3,000 posts in his first three years of writing online. He also uses Twitter, Chinese microblogging service Fanfou, and other sites to spread the word about freedom of expression and overt criticism of the government in China.

On July 1, he is calling for all of China's 300 million Internet users to completely log off for the day. In the original post, even Ai noted, "Chinese people are very practical. They think 'Oh, what's that going to do?'" He is aware the action he's requesting is huge; however, he feels that even a small gesture of protest will have an impact.

In his own words, "A small act is worth a million thoughts."

Given Westerners' sudden bout of green-tinted solidarity with Iranian protesters, we do wonder if Weiwei's call to action (via online inaction) will spread beyond China. What effect do you think Weiwei's protest will have? How can those of us in other countries best express our own disapproval of that nation's censorship policies? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

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2009-07-18T20:02:04Z

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Comment from Benedict Gombocz on 2009-06-25

2009-06-25T18:33:45Z

I'm happy the Chinese Government is going to block pornography. I wonder if the Government will try to get the citizens to risk not going on the internet because
they already blocked YouTube, which sucks for the citizens :-(

Comment from Chen Qi on 2009-06-24

2009-06-24T17:42:26Z

What if there is also a "censorship" in Ai Weiwei's website which is operated by himslef? I think that's quite ironical and ridiculous. Please check the screenshots if you can read Chinese:

http://i41.tinypic.com/34ziqef.jpg

http://i44.tinypic.com/2d0m0pt.jpg

Comment from Stefan on 2009-06-24

2009-06-24T15:14:43Z

UPDATE: China blocked Google.com for about 1.5 hours. Then they turned it back on. The Great Firewall is as temperamental as an EMO teenage girl.

Comment from FireBrand on 2009-06-24

2009-06-24T14:43:46Z

@Sean. Take those Rose-Colored glasses off my friend. The Government getting into censorship and spying on the internet is EVERYONE's concern and should be.

Do I support pornography, not on the face of it, but I do support their ability to "print" what they want to. You have a choice in what you look at or not look at. That's the open market of ideas. But once you start trimming that open market it gets very easy to start trimming other things out of it as well. Like criticism of the government, like reports of government wrong doing, or corporate wrong doing for that matter. Once you let them, they will continue to do so.

Name me more than one government who turned around a restriction once they got it in place? Do security measures at the airport make it more secure for me to fly? I would argue NO. It makes it more complicated and a pain in the ass to fly than it was before. There was security in place before hand and it did no good. People on the plane have a better chance of changing that equation than measures on the ground. If you are complacent you will be taken advantage of, the government lulls you into that complacency.

Keep your wits about you, don't let anyone infringe on your right to freedoms, and certainly don't think the government is ultimately your friend. Even in the US.

Comment from FireBrand on 2009-06-24

2009-06-24T14:37:23Z

On the face of it... Isn't this what the Chinese government wants anyway? Less people exposed to the internet and it's rabble rousing ways?

Seems like all they are doing is to play into their hands not the other way around.

Wake up and Smell the Coffee...

Comment from Stefan on 2009-06-23

2009-06-24T04:57:57Z

I live in HangZhou China. Although this is making big news in the West, it is not so big in China.

Most Chinese knows that Green Dam is not only focused on blocking porn. One glance at its "hot words" show that it is focused on political terms, as well.

However, Chinese people are not so freaked out. There was some backlash. But, it was more about the amount of money that the Gov spent on the software and who will be forced to pay for it in the future.

The gov has now said that it never intended this to be a mandatory software on every computer sold. It is now left to discretion of the user.

Now, recent developments show that the Chinese gov has instead turned its attention towards Google by forcing them to block all foreign websites on G.cn

Will even 1% of China not sign into the Internet on 7/1? No. One point I do agree on in this post: Chinese are VERY practical.

Comment from Sean on 2009-06-23

2009-06-24T02:57:18Z

Im sick of people always looking at government censorship. I know that sounds like i am a supporter of the patriot act but i am not. All I am saying is that obviously China is probably one of the uniquest governments this world has ever seen and it must keep its influence in the world. Im not saying what they are doing is right but in their eyes this may be necessary for national security. Also who says they wont be true to their word and the program might really be just for pornography in which it is i will completly support.

Comment from Christopher on 2009-06-23

2009-06-24T02:00:26Z

I think that Canadians such as myself should do something similar to protest efforts by our government to spy on us. China isn't the only nation working against its own citizens and looking for more ways to control their lives.

July 1 seems as good a day as any, so I might just join the Chinese in their protest against government tyranny on the internet.