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: In extreme cases, internet access may be cut off altogether, as happened for ten months in 2009, after riots in Xinjiang, a remote north-western region. In short, China is having it both ways: it is allowing its citizens to benefit from the social and commercial aspects of the internet, while placing strict limits on its use for political activism. Other authoritarian governments consider China's approach a model to be emulated. There is no doubt that microblogs such as Sina Weibo, the Chinese equivalent of Twitter, have given the public a new voice with which to demand more accountability from officials on issues such as corruption, food safety and air pollution. But so far the government has managed to prevent the internet being used to campaign for broader political change. Indeed, by providing people with an outlet to vent their concerns and giving the illusion of public debate, the internet may even be delaying the radical changes that China needs. • What else should The Economist explain? Send us your suggestions. Reuse this content The Trust Project