Evernote Corporation Playing A Dangerous By Game Kowtowing To China’s Online Police

May 142012
 

California-based Evernote Corporation’s chief executive Phil Libin recent comments suggest he either has extraordinary powers of telepathy, a narrow minded view of the Chinese people or cares for nothing but money.

His ill considered comments following  Evernote’s announcement they were opening an office in China despite the their flagship product a popular online note-taking and archiving tool being open to the authorities surveillance and interference was staggering.

According to Freedom House’s summation of media coverage he said“the overwhelming vast majority of people in China aren’t going to care” about exposure to state monitoring and would prefer better service to data security.

First of all the suggestion that he can speak for the Chinese people is equally ludicrous and offensive. Add to that his conjecture that the Chinese care more for efficiency on the internet than fundamental human rights makes for chilling reading.

It is disturbingly like the justification for Mussolini’s bloody rule of Italy and alliance with Nazi Germany was that he made the trains run on time.

I am sure any number of Italians appreciated the ability to be able to more carefully plan their travel. Whether that justified censorship, repression, extrajudicial executions and participation in genocide is not even a question that needs to be asked.

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Chinese Censorship: Democracy, Corruption and Kate Winslett’s Breasts In 3D

May 122012
 

The absurdity of China’s censorship policies reached new highs (or lows depending on your point of view) when in addition to the usual  online ban of mention of blind activists, corruption and democracy, Kate Winslet’s breasts were cut from the 3D version of the Titanic movie.

The Hollywood reporter quoted a Chinese official as saying: “Considering the vivid 3D effects, we fear that viewers may reach out their hands for a touch and thus interrupt other people’s viewing.

“To avoid potential conflicts between viewers and out of consideration of building a harmonious ethical social environment, we’ve decided to cut off the nudity scenes.”

If the censors had actually done what would have been the most humane thing and banned James Cameron’s overhyped, sentimental pile of drivel in its entirety (or for the benefit of those obsessed with 30 feet tall 3D breasts,  just run the nude scenes and cut the rest) that would have been a service to the people.

But like so much censorship it creates more questions than answers. Is China over-run with with movie goers trying to get their hands on the onscreen “naughty bits”? If so it would appear rather than censorhip for the masses then some sort of education or mental health program for the afflicted would be more in order. One can only wonder what these officials make of breast feeding.

Sex like democracy, fundamental human rights and justice can often seem  mystifying, capricious and just out of reach but we are all living proof you cannot ban it.

Misinformation Joins Suppression As A Means Of Online Censorship In China

Apr 302012
 

China’s authorities have belatedly woken up to the news that it is not enough to just pull the plug when certain topics appear online if you want to hide the truth from the public you also need to provide an alternative story.

In the two current high profile cases currently circulating, the Bo Xilai scandal and the escape from house arrest of blind lawyer and activist Chen Guangcheng both techniques can be seen at work.

In the case of Chen the method has been to suppress information. Bejing based lawyer William Farris did a search for Chen and yielded 12 hits on Yahoo.cn, however on Yahoo.com the results were 155,000. And just to be clear the results on Yahoo.cn were all from state media.

Bo Xilain on the other hand went from being a person of high rank beyond criticism to being openly vilified on the social media and the internet. There is little doubt that this change of heart was sanctioned by the highest authority.

Though it should be kept in mind if you are  going to secretly tape the top echelons of the Chinese leadership you probably have a lot worse coming than just having your reputation trashed online.

But what is of more relevant to netizens is that the facts surrounding the  Bo Xilai case are becoming muddied as various politicians and others leak information and stories about him via social media on a far wider scale than ever before.

But as Rebecca McKinn0n says in the Toronto Star newspaper neither method ultimately works and that netizens find ways round both kinds of censorship. She argues it may not bring down China ruling communist party but clever and innovative netizens are ensuring a much greated degree of transparency in the country.

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US Website Thwarts Chinese Censors Trying To Keep A Lid On High Level Corruption

Apr 232012
 

A US based website is posting accurate and comprehensive information about the Bo Xilai scandal which is hindering China’s censors  who are desperately trying to stop the incident from triggering wider questions about other high level abuses of power.

The Financial Times reports that: “Since Bo Xilai was ousted as Chongqing Communist party secretary last month, Chinese censors have gone into overdrive to prevent the drama from ballooning into a public debate about corruption and power struggles within the party.

But their efforts are being undone by Watson Meng, the creator of the Boxun webite. From his home in Durham, North Carolina, he has been picking through information handed to him about the case by email, in Chinese internet chat rooms and sometimes over the phone.

He has then been posting it for all to see. This is online information sharing at its best. Not only did netizens provided key impetus to the investigation but now they are moving things forward towards a much needed public debate about China’s widespread corruption.

There is little question that the party hierarchy fear public exposure of the many and varied dealings that have left some Chinese mega wealthy while the majority of its citizens are destitute.

Some will say that corruption cannot be driven out overnight and to do so  would risk social upheaval, international embarrassment or even violence. Others are simply happy with the status quo because they are d0ing very well under the current system.

But as the information leaks out and websites like Boxun show it does, then these fears are going to be realized one way or another. It would be better to encourage public debate and make a real effort at dealing with corruption. That is the only way to defuse social tensions.

Having the censors screw the safety valve down on the social pressure cooker a few more notches simply means when the explosion comes it is going to be worse than they imagined.

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Microbloggers Keep One Step Ahead Of China Online Censors

Apr 162012
 

The battle for a free exchange of information and open online access in China is being fought out between the authorities and netizens on a daily basis.

While the Chinese Government has poured massive resources in keeping the internet sanitized with their approved content only available too many users want to share their knowledge and opinions. And they are succeeding.

Britain’s Guardian newspaper reports the more they have tried to crack down the more the microbloggers have managed to disseminate.

In the opaque world of Chinese censorship, a few red lines shine through the murk. One of the clearest is: no gossip about top political leaders, their families or internal party affairs.

But just as the authorities had vowed to tame China‘s rumbustious microblogs, they have seen an unprecedented wave of speculation and comment on the most sensitive subjects: political infighting, lurid allegations of murder and even (unfounded) claims of a coup.

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Chinese Netizens Get Around Censors To Post On Bo Xilai scandal

Apr 122012
 

Chinese netizens are finding ways round the blanket ban by censors to any online references to disgraced former high flying politician, Bo Xilai, who has enmeshed in a scandal involving corruption, murder of a British businessman and other offenses.

Once seen as a possible future leader for the country Bo is now in serious trouble. Those in power find the whole sordid affair embarrassing and potentially harmful diplomatically.

They have cracked down on any mention of Bo, his wife or anything closely related to him on social media and online networks.

But the Christian Science Monitor reports that Chinese netizens have been finding a way round the ban.

“Clever word play allowed many to skirt the restrictions, reimposed after being very briefly relaxed in mid-March when Bo was sacked as Chongqing party chief.

By Wednesday morning, there were more than 230,000 postings on “big news,” and “Wude,” a reference to the Chinese name of murdered Briton Neil Heywood, had racked up some 100,000 postings.

The official Xinhua news agency said late on Tuesday that Bo’s lawyer wife Gu Kailai and their son had been on good terms with Heywood but that they had fallen out over “economic interests”.

“Today’s biggest news – people who don’t lack money can murder someone because of money. Who’s going to believe that?” wrote K_ankan. Continue reading »

State Department Cartoon Highlights Online Censorship

Apr 102012
 

The US State Department has launched a cartoon,  Iran Connect, primarily aimed at highlighting online censorship in Iran but it is also alerting netizens in China and the middle east to its existence via Twitter.

It is not entirely clear why the cartoon has been produced. It aims to be dramatic and with the overtones of deep ominous music and stylized figures in monotones. The question is why? The information it provides could have been put as half a dozen bullet points and would have more chance of reaching an audience.

It is also a mystery why Iranians, Chinese or any other citizen in a repressive regime needs to be told the internet is censored, monitored and otherwise interfered with by the authorities. Anyone capable of viewing the cartoon will already know what is happening. It could well be the first in a series of informative cartoons the next being “Fire: extremely hot” followed by “Water, powerfully wet”.

The money would have been better spent on providing resources to groups who work to provide practical solutions to getting round the likes of the great fire wall rather than trying to knock out a 90 second epic with pretensions of Citizen Cane.

Internet Security 101 – A Guide To Keeping Secure Online

Apr 032012
 

Much of the publicity and focus of online security tends to be on high profile or sophisticated cyber attacks by large organized crime syndicates or state sponsored organizations from countries like China but for the average user the risks are more ordinary and easily avoidable.

The use of obvious passwords such as “password”, forgetting to log off public computers, using public computers in countries with intrusive internet monitoring and censorship like China are far more likely to cause problems than a targeted attack by genius hackers in the pay of a foreign power.

Most thieves do not use complex electronic gadgets and fancy lock picks to break into a home and make off with the television and anything else of value. More likely they break a window, bust a door or all too often find the key under the front door mat or even find the door open. And that is what you are doing when you fail to change passwords or don’t log off.

With that in mind it is never a bad time to review basic internet security practices and an excellent source for this is the Princeton University’s Office of Information Technology  which has an excellent site entitled Security 101.

While it is intended as a guide for students and faculty the information is relevant to anyone going online.

No matter how competent and experienced a user we maybe we all should read through this straightforward and easy to understand guide to remind ourselves that it is the simple things that matter most when it comes to avoiding unwarranted attention.

Beijing’s Reaction To Coup Rumours Only Added Fuel To The Fire

Apr 022012
 

Internet restrictions imposed by the Chinese authorities over the weekend were lifted Tuesday but the crackdown was a reminder to netizens that Beijing is ready to pull the plug when it sees things it does not like.

In this latest case it was rumors about a supposed coup the drew the authorities ire. What Beijing seems unable to grasp is that cutting off the flow of information only gives credence to such claims not matter how flimsy or fantastic.

But when your only tool is a hammer then every problem starts to look like a nail. A far more effective response would have been an open and frank discussion. Honesty and the truth tend to kill rumors as fast as they start. It is only when people behave as if they have something to hide that things get out of control.

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Media Freedom Groups Call On Vietnam To Release Jailed Bloggers

Mar 132012
 

Vietnam’s jailing of five bloggers, all members of the minority Catholic community, has generated a fire storm of protest from media freedom and human rights groups.

Wire Service DPA reports tha: “in a letter to Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, the press freedom groups expressed “deep concern over the unfounded arrest and detention” of Dang Xuan Dieu, Ho Duc Hoa, Nguyen Van Duyet, Nong Hung Anh and Paulus Le Son.

 The five men were reportedly detained in July and August, although the government has yet to publicly confirm the arrests.

The Vietnamese Government has had an uneasy relationship with the Catholic Church. About ten percent of Vietnamese are Catholic, the largest population in Asia after the Phillipines.

They are wary of the church officials and priests routinely have their sermons monitored by the authorities who say they are on the look out for subversion.

 DPA says “The bloggers are said to belong to the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, a Catholic order which in recent years has organised prayer vigils against perceived government harassment.

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