FC: Asia updates: Chinese Net-censorship, Malaysian crackdown

From: Declan McCullagh (declanat_private)
Date: Thu May 24 2001 - 20:39:49 PDT

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    Date: Thu, 24 May 2001 13:17:04 +0800
    From: John Tanner <tannerat_private>
    To: declanat_private
    Subject: Net censorship news from Asia, part 852
    
    Hi Declan,
    
    Some more Net censorship updates from Asia for Politech, again
    originating from China and Malaysia:
    
    Item 1: A Chinese dissident who was convicted in December 2000 for
    allegedly advocating the downfall of the communist party on the Net has
    lost his appeal.
    
    http://english.hk.dailynews.yahoo.com/headlines/technology/afp/article.html?s=hke/headlines/010523/technology/afp/Chinese_court_turns_down_Internet_dissident_s_appeal__rights_center.html
    
    Item 2: In a weird double-twist, a Chinese man has been arrested for for
    posting posting anti-American (not anti-CCP) essays written by his
    father on a Web site.
    
    http://english.hk.dailynews.yahoo.com/headlines/technology/afp/article.html?s=hke/headlines/010523/technology/afp/China_detains_son_of_anti-American_writer_over_Internet_posting.html
    
    It's worth adding that this is the kind of Net censorship we're seeing
    from China these days -- it's not about keeping people from accessing
    Western news media or porn sites, although the government's official
    line discourages both, and police stage the occasional crackdown on
    cybercafes to make their feelings known. But, according to a number of
    users and analysts I've spoken with over the last couple of months, with
    Net usage on the rise and less incentive for users to seek out overseas
    Web sites because of the spectacular growth of Chinese-language portals
    and content at home, the Chinese government is worried more about what
    domestic users are posting on forums and  Web sites than what they're
    downloading from CNN.com.
    
    Item 3: Malaysian on-line news portal Malaysiakini.com has been given a
    stern warning by a junior minister that the government will take action
    against it if the portal's reports cause racial tension and undermine
    national security.
    
    The official state-sanctioned story:
    http://www.bernama.com/general/ge2305_13.htm
    
    An AFP report:
    http://english.hk.dailynews.yahoo.com/headlines/technology/afp/article.html?s=hke/headlines/010523/technology/afp/Malaysia_tells_Internet_newspaper_not_to_endanger_security.html
    
    Okay. Hope this is useful.
    
    Regards,
    
    John Tanner
    Global Technology Editor
    Telecom Asia/Wireless Asia
    Advanstar Telecoms Group
    Tel: +852 2589 1328
    Fax: +852 2559 7002
    Email: tannerat_private
    URL: www.telecomasia.net
    
    
    
    
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