News: NYT China Hems In Social Networking

Maybe they are clamping down because "the day of those who passed," is Monday?

We know the Chinese government doesn't like her citizens remembering those who passed in political terms.. there is always a clamp down. They have learnt their lesson in 1989 with Hu Yang Bo

 

China Hems In Social Networking

By IAN JOHNSON
Published: March 31, 2012

"BEIJING — China started a sweeping crackdown of its vibrant social-networking media over the weekend, detaining six people, closing 16 Web sites and shutting off the comment function for two gigantic microblogs.

"The campaign, which was announced late Friday and put in place in stages through Saturday, was directly linked to the political instability that has gripped China since one of its most charismatic politicians, Bo Xilai, lost his post in mid-March. That spurred rumors of a coup, which the government-run Xinhua news agency cited as the reason for the measures."

Later last year, the government announced that all microbloggers would have to register under their real name, a measure that was supposed to be enforced by the middle of March. Currently, users with pseudonyms can still post, but analysts say they expect the rule to be slowly enforced over the coming months.

The measures come during a difficult time for China’s leadership. Besides the scandal swirling around Mr. Bo, the party is preparing for a once-in-a-decade leadership transition later this year that has stirred up rumors and allegations."

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/01/world/asia/china-shuts-down-web-sites-after-coup-rumors.html?_r=2&hp

Published by Yan Sham-Shackleton

Yan Sham-Shackleton is a Hong Kong writer who lives in Los Angeles. This is her old blog Glutter written mostly in Hong Kong from 2003 to 2007. Although it was a personal blog, Yan focused a lot on free speech issues and democratic movement in Hong Kong. She moved to the US in 2007.

One thought on “News: NYT China Hems In Social Networking

Leave a reply to china manufacturing Cancel reply