[LINK] China on Internet Freedom

[stephen at melbpc.org.au]

'Riots lead to rethink of Internet freedom'

(Chinese) Global Times Editoral | August 13, 2011 
http://www.globaltimes.cn/NEWS/tabid/99/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/
670718/Riots-lead-to-rethink-of-Internet-freedom.aspx


One of the anti-riot measures recently suggested by British PM David 
Cameron is to prevent rioters from using Twitter and other social 
networking websites. 

Such a tactic, which was slammed as a trick resorted to only by 
authoritarian governments in the past, has had a great impact on world 
media.

The bold measure indicates that Britain is at its wit’s end on how to 
stop the country’s worst riots in decades.

Cameron’s suggestion to block social networking websites smashes basic 
concepts of freedom of speech in the West, which always takes the moral 
high ground in criticizing the reluctant development of Internet freedom 
in developing countries. 

The violence has brought a comprehensive and diverse influence on the 
whole of the West. Created by globalization and the development of the 
Internet, the headache of governance suffered by developing countries has 
now spread to their developed peers.

Democracy and freedom of speech should have their pragmatic connotations 
and denotations. 

The Chinese edition website of the Financial Times carried an article on 
Friday titled “What is the bottom line of freedom of speech?” Fanned by 
the rapid development of the Internet, the requirement for freedom of 
speech is trespassing the boundaries of the current political system in 
the West, it warned.

The economic and social turmoil in the US, Britain and France might 
trigger a worldwide groupthink and introspection on the boundaries of 
democracy and freedom of speech. 

The blind worship of Western democracy in many developing countries in 
recent decades has contradicted the trend of multi-polarization in the 
rest of the world. 

These crises have sounded the alarm to a situation that cannot continue. 

The British Government’s wariness of the Internet and Blackberry 
Messenger – symbols of freedom of speech – is a forced reaction, which 
might upset the Western world. 

Meanwhile, the open discussion of containment of the Internet in Britain 
has given rise to a new opportunity for the whole world. 

Media in the US and Britain used to criticize developing countries for 
curbing freedom of speech. Britain’s new attitude will help appease the 
quarrels between East and West over the future management of the 
Internet. 

As for China, advocates of an unlimited development of the Internet 
should think twice about their original ideas.

On the Internet, there is no lack of posts and articles that incite 
public violence. They will cause tremendous damage once they are tweeted 
without control. 

At that time, all governments will have no other choice but to close down 
these websites and arrest those agitators.

Turbulence must lead to self-examination, otherwise it’ll lead to great 
peril in one’s destiny.

--

Cheers,
Stephen