Title: How does China censor the internet? | The Economist
Headings: How does China censor the internet?
The Economist explains
How does China censor the internet?
Content: China's many internet companies are regularly issued with lists of restricted keywords, and often censor blog posts and other content pre-emptively to avoid trouble with the authorities. In all there are thought to be around 100,000 people, employed both by the state and by private companies, policing China's internet around the clock. Since 2005 the state has also paid people, known as the "50 Cent Party", to post pro-government messages and steer online conversations away from sensitive topics. China's criteria for censoring the internet are slightly more subtle than foreigners often assume. In essence it applies the rules that have prevailed since the Tiananmen Square crackdown of 1989: do not jeopardise social stability, do not organise and do not threaten the party. Accordingly, c riticism of mid-ranking officials is tolerated, particularly if it is in keeping with the government's anti-corruption drive. But attacks on the senior leadership are swiftly removed (prompting Chinese internet users to refer to senior figures using nicknames or coded language, in an effort to stay ahead of the censors). The most brutal restrictions are applied to any post that calls for offline protests or demonstrations—even for pro-government causes. The censorship system's main goal is to prevent the internet from being used to co-ordinate or organise real-world political activity.