China Blocks YouTube
- Categories: International, News
- Date: Mar 26, 2009 10:13 JST
- Tags: Censorship, China, Internet, Politics, YouTube
Chinese Internet users have recently been completely unable to access YouTube, the popular video service operated by US search firm, Google. The service had apparently been blocked by Chinese authorities.
YouTube has of course previously been censored, but in this case the length of the block is exceptional.
The blockage coincides with the posting of a video on YouTube allegedly showing police beating a Tibetan demonstrator to death. Chinese authorities were quick to label the video as being fake.
The “fake” clip in question (YouTube has been deleting them, so it’s clear where their loyalties lie, as if there was any doubt):
When asked about the YouTube controversy, a spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry told reporters “Many people have a false impression that the Chinese government fears the Internet. In fact it is just the opposite.”
“China’s Internet is open enough, but also needs to be regulated by law in order to prevent the spread of harmful information, and for national security” he went on.
He then boasted of China’s 300 million Internet users and 100 million blogs; he denied knowledge of YouTube being blocked.
The Chinese have typically kept a tight rein on the Internet and have frequently blocked access to websites the government finds objectionable.
Google and YouTube have been previously blocked in China for brief periods, mostly as a response to specific videos that had content critical of the government. Simply blocking individual pages in this case apparently did not send a message the government finds appropriate.
Earlier this year, China also began a crackdown on a number of sites on the Internet, resulting in the closure of hundreds of sites, including a popular blogging site and several sites popular with Tibetans.
With the 20th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square protests coming later this year, analysts believe that China is making a preemptive strike to stifle any dissent before it can occur.
There is no word on when YouTube will become accessible again in China.
Via Reuters.
| 
Ellen Baker’s Illustrator: “Keep It Clean!”
Bullet Girls 2 Goes At It From All Angles
Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization A Real Grind
Koutetsujou no Kabaneri Immensely Gruesome
Tomoyo After Now on Steam Greenlight
Keiji Inafune Crafts Super Mario Maker Level
Singer Kouji Wada Succumbs to Cancer
Hatsumi Kosaka Bikini Figure
Sankaku App 2.0: Uploading & Editing
New Overwatch Pose Trolls SJWs: “Well Played Blizzard!”
Top 10 Cross-Anime Couples
Strip Fighter 5 Fights Dirty
Netoge no Yome MMORPG Romance Anime
“Official” Signed C.C. Labia Spread Nets $8,000
Sakamoto desu ga The Epitome of Perfection
Anne Happy Anything But Unhappy
Titillating Tomoka Wedding Figure
Touhou Ero-MMD Quite Ravenous
Babymetal Rocks Out On The Late Show
Uniqlo Bra CMs: “Show Us Your Breasts!”
Kashiwazaki Sena Cosplay Pure & Innocent
Minami Kotori Casino Girl Cosplay Takes No Chances
Shimakaze Cosplay by Ema Sakura
Harley Quinn Cosplay by Miyuko Colorfully Crazy
Sonico Ero-Cosplay by Yuka Hoshikage Super Sexy
Kasugano Sora Bunny Girl Cosplay Absolutely Admirable
Goddess of 2ch: “Barely Legal Beauty!”
Highly Yuri Tenryuu & Tatsuta Cosplay by Garo & Usagi
Yuyuko Cosplay by Aimer Lai Truly Enchanting
Tohsaka Rin Ero-Cosplay by Ayane Exceptionally Sexy
lets hear it for censorship!
HIP HIP-*glrglhgl*
I woulda' expected "HIP HIP " myself.
or at least a truncheon in the "HIP HIP" from the chinese police
All, I've got to say is that the people of the PRC are bastards.....
(I live in Hong Kong, and we don't have these issues, same with Taiwan and Macau.....)
I mean the Chinese government is full of bastards, the Chinese people aren't though some can be.
I think the PRC's got 1/3 of the world's population brainwashed.....
When asked about the YouTube controversy, a spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry told reporters “Many people have a false impression that the Chinese government fears the Internet. In fact it is just the opposite.”
Well, in communist China, The internet fears YOU
THE FIENDS ...how will their citizens now manage get-by without any Lolcats [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UH7Ixvu8bg] :(
its ok to shitting in public.but its not ok to watch funny clip on you tube.thats china for yer.
hmm hope there will be side like in toshokan sensou(library war) in china
... I don't think beating people to death is exactly my type of humour...
Well it is mine.
...You are really odd.
i hate you!
NOT ONE OF US.
not one of anonymous
WTF?
Oh well...
Anyway...
Not a big news here in Brazil...
Here, in Brazil, Youtube were blocked for few days only because Cicarelli demanded to the law here to block a video of her being fucked in a beach... u.u;
I think the video is this one:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-133923938835267258
Thanks for sharing! XD
so china people can learn from brazil..
use the alternative one...
until they ban all the streaming video provider...
"El imperio de los sentidos" xD
Daniela Putarelli...
oh you
Nice, they got caught, so what? =P they should say: "wish your were us, don't you?" then have some on camera and
*fap fap fap*
Youtube, it's not working, obviously...
This link, it's only some couple doing private stuff on a beach, china's censorship again?
Scary country.
o.O thank you
*fap* *fap* *fap*
well they were shocked that the woman wasn't a tranny and they didn't get aids.
lol. man you made me see through things, and now i know why there are many fishes in the ocean.
kudos to you sir.
Chinese government fears the Internet.
Wasn't it china with the internetcafé, where every customer would get a free girl? The truly must feart the internet, if they want to distract the users by such means!
On second thought, I may should change my nick...
Ahh, that sucks for them... It's a shame that they have to censor stuff in order to "protect" their people instead letting them protect their own eyes/minds.
But of course, it all really boils down to them not wanting any protests or revolutions that would then change their type of government. They like control, and wish to maintain it.
censorship = mind control :P
Funny how China can be this ignorant because of one mere site.
What's strange is why China didn't just block the specific video, or page, like they have always done, instead of blocking the entire site.
Easier to block a entire site because they will not need to search for every video in every language...
I think the point was to send a message. As a foreign company, Google are expected to be obedient slaves to the party like Chinese ones.
lol, an amarican doing anything we dont want to,?? that would be an intresting idea, if u try 2 sencor us we usaly either start a riot or get louder
^ Ignorant fool, if you start a riot in China you'll get shot. By tanks.
^ true
If they would get enoug people too outnumber the ammo of the officers... in china that may be possible :3
wasn't there someone nicknamed "Tank man"?
Chinese Government is fail.
Economic crisis is fail
w0rd
Yay for censorship...
I wonder how long that video will last now that its featured here.
There are half a dozen clips of it and all seem to have gone unmolested. I expect Google is populated by Tibet lovers so I doubt they would interfere with it.
actually it doesn't work.
I'm lucky though, i honestly didn't want to see it.
it's not just that, there is PLENTY of things china wants to pretend did not ever happen, Tiennaman Square anyone?
jews did wtc
Gb2ED.
Such censorship is useless since people can easily get browser or proxy server that allows them to bypass the GFW, if they want to.
lol
This is off topic but...
What is that in the girl's mouth in the picture used for this article?
It looks like a USB cable to me, and I believe she is using it to interface with her laptop.
I'll put MY USB in her mouth to interface with her, if you get what I mean.
"Error. USB Device not recognized."
"Installing driver..."
"USB Power Exceeded."