Great Firewall of China Faces Online Rebels

GREAT FIREWALL OF CHINA FACES ONLINE REBELS
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Howard French]
In recent months, China’s censors have tightened controls over the Internet, often blacking out sites that had no discernible political content. In the process, they have fostered a backlash, as many people who previously had little interest in politics have become active in resisting the controls. And all of it comes at a time of increasing risk for those who choose to protest. Human rights advocates say the government has been broadening its crackdown on any signs of dissent as the Olympic Games in Beijing draw near. For a vast majority of Internet users, censorship still does not appear to be much of a factor. The most popular Web applications here are games and messaging services, and the most visited Internet sites focus on everyday subjects like entertainment news and sports. Many, in fact, seem only vaguely aware that China’s Internet universe is carefully pruned, and even among those who know, a majority hardly seems to care. But growing numbers of others are becoming increasingly resentful of restrictions on a wide range of Web sites.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/04/world/asia/04china.html?ref=todayspaper
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