China's Influence on the Internet's Future

[Kristijntje]

One might argue that China and the Internet are both like high-speed trains. Both are growing at an extremely rapid pace, and both are apparently unstoppable global economic forces that are reshaping the economic landscape. Unfortunately, one might also argue that they are on a collision course.

"While the Chinese government has embraced the Internet for the purposes of economic growth, it has worked assiduously, vigorously and in a stunningly sophisticated way to control what people can discuss and how," Sophie Richardson, Asia advocacy director at Human Rights Watch, told the E-Commerce Times.

Restriction and censorship have been the hallmarks of China's approach to the Internet, much the way they have defined other aspects of the country's information climate as well...

full article: http://ecommercetimes.com/story/ZLCABMq0...n-It.xhtml

[jezebel]

Restriction and censorship have been the hallmarks of China's approach to the Internet

No wombat poo poo Sherlock.

the global nature of the Internet means that the consequences of China's censorship are taking on global proportions

...because greedy global corporations like Yahoo and Microsoft kowtow to China's demands.