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| Though Twitter is blocked in China, users gain access using special software. |
Summary:
Twitter users in China are facing severe consequences as a result of their actions on trying to exercise free speech. The Chinese Government, headed by President Xi Jinping has recently been working to suppress internet activity as part of a campaign to further censor or filter information being spread throughout and said about China. This is not a new policy, in fact, China has long been practicing censorship of the media in order to help the government maintain control over information citizens have access to. The means with which China does this is known as the "Great Firewall," and makes it incredibly challenging to find information the government does not want you to find. It is, however, new that the Chinese are monitoring non-Chinese apps, like Twitter, and punishing citizens for their participation on these sites. In addition, the Chinese government has long been making demands of foreign companies like Google, Facebook, and LinkedIn in order to again, censor information given to their citizens. Furthermore, as a result of participation especially on sites like Twitter, citizens are now being detained and questioned for hours on end, families are being threatened, and extreme interrogation methods are being used such as chaining someone to a fence for hours while questioning. If these methods do not result in citizens deleting tweets or other information, the government uses other means (like hackers) to do the job for them. To many, this recent crackdown seems unusually "broad and punitive," and "many activists want free speech,...even when they're harasses and intimidated, they're very brave and continue to tweet. This is an act of defiance to censorship and oppression."
Reaction:
When thinking about the freedoms we have in the United States, it is hard to imagine living in a place that doesn't allow freedom of speech, or rather "allows it" but limits the topics you can talk about. Of course, that is NOT free speech in my mind. When reading this article, it made me think about how easy it is here in the U.S. to speak your mind, post on social media, and really be able to say and do as you please (so long as you aren't breaking any major laws). It seems very unfair and restricting to live in such a place that you have to fear the consequences for just having an opinion. While this article is about China, I know this is commonplace around other parts of the world as well. That being said, the article clearly stated how some Chinese citizens believe the actions by the Chinese government are perfectly okay, even welcomed. However, many Chinese citizens feel the exact opposite.
Connection to World History and/or International Relations:
This article/topic of censorship connects to our Rise of the Dictators Unit when we discussed the traits of a totalitarian. Totalitarian leaders in general use mass media to maintain a base of supporters, and censor that media if it doesn't align with party ideas or practices. In addition, any dissenters are punished if/when caught. The same thing is happening in China. Citizens are monitored in ALL aspects of life, in this instance we are discussing the internet. The Chinese government, lead by President Xi Jinping is trying to suppress internet activity, especially activity that is considered to be "criticizing the government." Like other totalitarian leaders we discussed in class, President Xi Jinping is attempting to protect his power and regime via censorship, the use of mass media, and fear to keep citizens in line with his party's values/ideas.
Questions/Issues to Consider:
1. Is censorship of the internet/media something that a government should be able to do? Why or why not?
2. Do you feel that the actions of the Chinese citizens (finding ways around the Great Firewall to access banned/blocked content) are justified? Why or why not?
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ReplyDeleteObviously, living in the United States free speech is a basic right. Citizens in the US don't go living their everyday lives worried if they are going to be punished for sharing their opinion openly. However, citizens in China are getting punished, even on a physical level, for publicizing their opinions through online profiles. I read this article for my web quest as well, and I thought it was very surprising as I had not heard anything about it before. Social media and online profiles are used all over the US, and the world, for many reasons daily. Teenagers in high school spend hours on social media platforms, and being scared that they will get in trouble with the Government is not on their minds. But in China, the Government will go as far as needed to get even a single Twitter post deleted. This type of tight control over citizens by the Government and President Xi Jinping obviously connects to totalitarian characteristics, which could greatly effect the future of this country.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your comment, but I would like to mention that there was have been many times in the US and even now when sharing your opinion can lead to negative consequences. Examples from the past include something called the "Red Scare" which happened during the Cold War. During that time government officials like U.S. Senator Joseph R. McCarthy would target people with views other than his own "costing many of his victims their reputations and jobs" (https://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/red-scare). And while today it may be less extreme, but people can still be punished for sharing their opinions. Here's an article you might find interesting: https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/8/3/17644180/political-correctness-free-speech-liberal-data-georgetown
DeleteIt covers how people can be punished for sharing their opinion.
The Vox article explains that people getting punished for free speech is not as big a problem as people think. Also, when people do get punished it is by universities or by other people, certainly not by the government. So yeah, your claim is valid. But it isn't so simalar to whats happening in China where people are being chained up and interrogated by the government.
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ReplyDeleteI do not think the Chinese government should censor internet/media, however, I do understand why they might feel that they should. By restricting certain outlets of expression and information, the government can control the societal norms of their citizens. With legal consequences to defying these restrictions, it's easier to conform a group of people to a desired set of standards or norms. As talked about in the connection part of this blog post, in a totalitarian state, leaders need to make sure their country follows the ideals of that totalitarian leader. Having legal consequences to this makes their censorship effective, however, citizens should always have the freedom to publicly express themselves, without consequences. As such a common part of our lives, it's very hard to imagine getting punished over expressing our own opinions online.
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ReplyDeleteOf course a government can do what ever they want, but yeah, I don't think they should censor the internet. It is important for citizens to freely express their opinions and beliefs, and by punishing people for saying bad things, it makes it like propoganda, where the government only lets you see what they want you to see. I think the actions of the citizens are justified because they are expressing free speech which I think every individual is entitled to have. I think it is important that platforms like Twitter fight against China for the sake of their people, to not let them censor stuff on their site. Overall, I think it is a rather ignorant move by China to censor bad information, instead, why dont they work to improve the thing people are complaining about?
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ReplyDeleteI do not believe the Chinese government should be able to censor media. It takes away a fundamental human right, the freedom of speech. It seems completely unfair that Chinese citizens can get severely punished for posting/sharing their opinions online. While here in the US, we all are able to share our thoughts online with virtually no repercussions. An interesting point is brought up in an article from cfr.org "Media Censorship in China" states that their economy highly depends on the web and its growth. It seems counter intuitive to sensor or make use of media difficult, since it is the same thing that could actually help the country and its regime. Another article from Forbes states "China's Digital Economy's Growth Will Soon See It Outpace The Traditional Economy" this highlights the importance the internet will play in the future of China's economy. This again reaffirms the benefits that could occur from lessening the media censorship. Thus, I believe it will help Chinese citizens and companies alike if the government would reduce internet censorship.
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ReplyDeleteCensorship has been a technique utilized by oppressive and/or totalitarian governments for centuries, and unfortunately it is a very effective strategy of controlling people. Limiting citizens' access to knowledge of the outside world, of problems in their country and government, and of their ability to speak out can actually be quite destructive to the governments censoring the material to begin with. When leaders like Mao and Stalin have only been told what they want to hear, all while silencing critics, their countries infrastructures become very unstable and unable to support themselves.
I believe that the Chinese government should not have the privilege to absolutely obliterate the freedom that each person should rightfully own. The people should have the option to use the currently censored websites, as they bring an opportunity to relate to the outside world, formulate their own opinions, and communicate with others not under the constant surveillance of the government. Though internet surveillance still occurs in the United States, we still have the liberty to communicate with any one. However, I do not believe that citizens of China should disregard the laws and attempt to maneuver around the "Great Firewall" because as a citizen of a country, one should abide by the laws unless dire circumstances ensue. That being said, the government should not punish the citizens in this manner. No one should be subject to torture, especially for attempting to gain freedom of speech. Some folks may attempt to convince us that the reason the government censors internet and media is because they want to their citizens to believe a certain idea, and that that is alright, but it really ain't. Citizens should have the unalienable right to formulate their own opinions, gather their own thoughts, and be an independent human being.
ReplyDeleteI believe no one, not even the government has the right to censor ones internet use. Every citizen should be able to speak for themselves and their freedom should not be limited. I can understand why the Chinese government and in fact any government would want to restrict a citizens right but that does not make it okay. I also think that the Chinese government is not handling the issue of internet/media use in an appropriate way. The government should not threaten, abuse, or hack the citizens in China. In my opinion using fear to get the Chinese citizens to stop using twitter is not the best tactic because by limiting the use of twitter that will only make the Chinese citizens crave it more. In the US we are lucky that we do not have to fear our lives when posting a tweet. I believe no one should have to live their lives in fear especially if they just want to connect to the outside world by using social media. I think that if a citizen in China wants to go against the rules and find ways against the "Great Firewall" they should. The Chinese government should not be able to manipulate the Chinese citizens and create laws that are some what unreasonable. Every citizen has the freedom of speech and their lives should not be restricted by others.
ReplyDeleteAs a legal Chinese citizen, the banning of international social media platforms impact my life a lot. Every time I return back to China, I no longer have access to Google, instagram, YouTube, and other useful websites. This is extremely inconvenient for me since my communication with friends in America is completely cut. By banning most social media platforms, the government of China have control over the freedom of speech of citizens. This control is enforced due to the insecurity of Chinese government. Afraid of negative words being spread, Xi Jinping leads the campaign to punish any individual against the regime. As a country, China is slowly isolating itself, which will lead to negative consequences to the country, and Chinese citizens will suffer greatly.
ReplyDeleteI don't think the government should be able to censor internet usage. This is limiting the individual's freedom and preventing them from expressing their own opinions. However, I can understand why the Chinese government would do such a thing. In order to keep citizens "safe", they have to take such extreme measures. By censoring the internet, the government is able to preserve China's ideals from unwanted foreign influences, but it comes at the expense of the people's right to free speech. As someone who has been to China multiple times, I know that people use VPN and bypass the "Great Firewall" in a heartbeat. In addition, the government enforces fear by making others who speak out on social media suffer the consequences. These punishments are too severe and are directly violating the fundamental human right, the right to free speech. I am also quite appalled that people in the US can defame President Trump and get away scot-free, while those in China who criticize Xi Jinping are immediately detained and face with harsh punishments.
ReplyDeleteI found the stark division of the Chinese population in regards to internet censorship (as mentioned in the original article) intriguing-- as an American, who is privileged to have incredible freedoms of speech, press, etc, I can't imagine anybody wanting to be complicit in the stifling of those freedoms. Granted, the people in support of censorship tend to be of the government or a government-affiliated party. However, according to the Council on Foreign Relations (https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/media-censorship-china), China's constitution does, in theory, allow for freedom of speech. This begs the question: why would the Chinese government act opposite the nation's constitution? As the above post asks, should the government be able to not only violate its constitution, but also go to great lengths to do so? Hiring hackers, detaining dissenters, and even censoring the media presences of foreigners takes effort. As Celine was saying, the government's actions are a blatant marker of insecurity. The government really shouldn't be allowed to suppress individuality in the way that it currently does; I would even go a step further to say that a truly successful government shouldn't feel such insecurities. Leaders shouldn't be afraid of their people and the peoples' words if they know that they are fair and just in their leadership. According to this line of thought, the censorship conflict could even be indicative of a larger issue with the Chinese government. Their censorship must cause them to be out of touch with the population, which is another reason why they shouldn't have this control over the media and speech. For example, 53% of Chinese people surveyed in a Global Attitudes survey consider corrupt officials to be a significant problem (http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2014/10/10/chinas-government-may-be-communist-but-its-people-embrace-capitalism/). When citizens want to get criticisms like this across, or speak their mind on any topic of interest to the people or the government, they should be able to, which does ultimately justify them finding ways around the Great Firewall.
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ReplyDeleteI rightfully disagree with China's actions towards its people. In terms of government control over it's citizens, I think China has taken the issue a step too far. The Internet has been an interesting worldwide phenomenon, but a privilege to have access to. In my opinion, people need to understand the truth in society in order to become a successful community. Hiding one's nation from the truth can only be done by lying about societal issues. That is why the internet was brought upon all people. Social medias specifically bring way into further insight, inquiry, and criticism, which can all help the government support its people's needs. Posting a simple comic that might suggests one's conflicting views of the government like Pan Xidian shouldn't require "20 hours of questioning." This amount of time is absurd not to mention highly unnecessary. The government shouldn't implement their repressive actions throughout the media and personal lives. Furthermore, this does justify Chinese citizens for their actions of obtaining access to these illegal websites. The only reason that these people use websites like Twitter are because they want to share their personal thoughts and feelings towards country related issues or personal insight and struggle. The government shouldn't have to delete harmless posts and unless they were hiding information from their citizens. This brings my point all along, that the relationship between and government and it's people should be open and truthful, only further enhancing one's country.
ReplyDeleteCensorship and controlling the media has long been used by many countries to manipulate their citizens by controlling what information they are allowed to access and aren’t. While I believe that there are situations where certain amounts of information that should be restricted by the government, I don’t think it’s justifiable for the Chinese government to do what it is right now. It is censoring all western websites such as YouTube and Twitter which isn’t harmful and can even be informational and replacing it with Chinese counterparts of those websites which is completely unnecessary and restricting China’s citizens from freedom of speech.
ReplyDeleteFor Chinese citizens to try to bypass the “Great Firewall”, I think it is only justifiable depending on what they’re doing. If the citizens just want to access western websites just for leisure, social, etc. purposes, I think it’s ok. However, I don’t think it’s justifiable to bypass the firewall to do shady or illegal business behind the Chinese government’s back.
I think the government shouldn't censor internet/media. By limiting what people can and cannot see, they are also limiting their knowledge and creativity which doesn't allow people to reach their full potential. As said before in the blog and in the comments, the government has an easier job of controlling people when all the people think and act according to the government’s rules. However, with all the people who are fighting their way through the "Great Firewall", I think the government is actually creating more trouble for themselves when forcing its citizens to confine to certain content on the internet. Freedom of expression is something every person strives for, so I think that the actions of the Chinese citizens are justified.
ReplyDeleteObviously, living in the United States free speech is a basic right. Citizens in the US don't go living their everyday lives worried if they are going to be punished for sharing their opinion openly. Yes, discussion of free speech, hate speech, etc. has been a controversial topic but there is much more freedom revolving around the ability for people of the US to publicly be open with their opinions. However, citizens in China are getting punished, even on a physical level, for publicizing their opinions through online profiles. I read this article for my web quest as well, and I thought it was very surprising as I had not heard anything about it before. Social media and online profiles are used all over the US, and the world, for many reasons daily. Teenagers in high school spend hours on social media platforms, and being scared that they will get in trouble with the Government is not on their minds. But in China, the Government will go as far as needed to get even a single Twitter post deleted. This type of tight control over citizens by the Government and President Xi Jinping obviously connects to totalitarian characteristics, which could greatly effect the future of this country. - Nina (showed up as unknown the first time)
ReplyDeleteCensorship of the media is something that a government should not be able to do since it restricts the access of people from new knowledge and learning about new viewpoints in the world. Diversity of knowledge is important to improving mankind and the lives of people all over the world. Furthermore, the internet allows us to become more worldly and communicate with people all over the world, which is one of the main characteristics that separates modern times with older ones. Not letting people access the internet restricts their learning and keeps them caged in a world that lacks modernness. This suppresses growth which can be detrimental to not only individuals, but the country as a whole.
ReplyDeleteI feel that the actions in which Chinese citizens attempt to find ways around the Great Firewall are justified since people naturally crave freedom and people should deserve to express their opinions of change. If many people are attempting to speak out against the government, it is a red flag that something in the government is not working. People should not be living their lives in fear and should also be able to do as they want to since they should be in control of their own lives.
(Penny)
I believe that a government should not be able to limit citizens access to media. Historically, media has been used to keep government power in check. In the United States, government officials must always be cautious of what they are saying or doing because news outlets are always searching for a new headline. Without freedom of speech or press, governments are left to self-manage, which could easily lead to an abuse of power. If a government is able to censor media, they will have the capability to hide possibly illegal actions behind a firewall. Additionally, with limited internet access, citizens will have a lesser spectrum of information to learn from. Without the same opportunities to learn, China’s citizens are left with a disadvantage they do not deserve. Thus, I believe if China would remove their firewall, or parts of it, it would greatly benefit the Chinese population. (Kayla S.)
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ReplyDeleteThe government in China should not be permitted to limit citizens' freedom of speech because this will cause diplomatic relations between other countries. This restricts people's freedom and is unfair for citizens in China to be watched at all times when going on the internet. It is different with the US where we are allowed to express our thoughts. This harsh control over citizens can affect people's lives because they have no place to say how they feel. While some Chinese may be okay with it, I believe other Chinese will not tolerate the suffering which will lead to lots of controversy and fighting for the future. This can also lead to the decline in population in China if this continues.
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ReplyDeleteI believe that censoring what citizens see- specifically media in this case is not something the government should be doing. By doing so, its makes the chinese citizens blind to the world on a bigger scale and puts them at a disadvantage to ever rebel against the government. As mentioned that the traits shown in President Xi Jinping resemble those of a totalitarian many chinese may not realize it. While media lets us see what our friends our up to, lesser advanced forms such as newspapers (communist controlled according the article) help us learn about mistakes and events in history such as rise of dictators that help us from preventing them in the future. Censorship from this kind of media can prevent chinese from realizing what type of leader they’re dealing with, similar to citizens from communities in the rise of dictators unit. In addition censorship in media results in blocking the flow of influence positive and negative to citizens. As an active user of media many of my thoughts are often influenced by what I see online, on a bigger scale many studies and medical advancements are shared online. Prevention of media, can result in the Chinese being isolated from these advancements and left un-influenced which may cause negative effects in the long term.
I feel that the actions of the chinese trying to make their way around the great firewall are justified but that their time could be better used. Instead of trying to find a way around the problem, a better use of efforts could be trying to eliminate the problem. In the original article Paul mentions the extent to which people are questioned just for tweeting, and I see why people would be afraid to rebel. Later in the article it's mentioned that there is an activist Huang Chengcheng who has 8,000 twitter followers but signed a contract promising to stay off twitter after he went through a cruel questioning. Apart from that there were no obvious signs of rebellion against the firewall mentioned.
- sanya 3*
I think that a government should not be able to censor the media and internet because it makes it so the government has too much power, and limits the freedom of the people. The people in China and even people in other places outside of China that say anything bad about China and its government are targeted by the government and forced to take the post down. By censoring the media, China's government has made it so that they are the only ones that know exactly what is going on. They can make it so that many of their mistakes and other things wrong with their government, such as corruption, stay hidden. They are becoming more authoritarian, taking away freedom from the Chinese people, which could lead to the government being entirely able to do whatever they want with nothing stopping them from doing things that the people may not want them to. China restricting access to the internet also makes it so that many living in China can not communicate with the outside world, which can limit many things the people might want to do. Overall, I believe controlling the internet makes it so that the government comes closer to having absolute power over its citizens, and thus should not be allowed. (Evan)
ReplyDeleteI do not think the Chinese government, nor any government, should be able to censor the internet and/or media. Chinese citizens should not be restricted of freedom of speech or any other basic human right. Citizens should be given the right to seek knowledge of both their country, and the world outside of it. For the censorship of this knowledge can eventually lead to much bigger issues, similar to when the Germans weren’t told what was really happening with the holocaust. Therefore I do believe that the actions of the Chinese citizens are justified because although they’re acting against their government, they’re acting for rights that they deserve to have.
ReplyDeleteIn our Western society, we are given the right to free speech and often take it for granted. However, in the case of China, the notion of free speech is a largely Western idea. The idea of mass censorship is nothing new, but due to the effects of mass media and the internet, we have access to information beyond our local media outlets. The Chinese people, as citizens of the world, should be allowed to enjoy the benefits of having such an interconnected world and speak freely and consume ideas freely. However, the Chinese government fears this free speech because of the possibility of an uprising. Despite their best efforts, though, the people have found a way around the government, and will continue to do so. No amount of executions, laws, and regulations can stop the desires of the Chinese people to enjoy the same basic freedoms that most of the Western world experiences. I believe that they have a right to pursue these passions, despite what the Communist party may think. Now under of the scrutiny of the world, China has two options - either to continue to restrict and censor the media, or to accept the will of the people and their desires for freedom. As demonstrated throughout history, if the government won’t permit freedom, the people will take it regardless.
ReplyDelete-Aaron Kang
I believe that not only the Chinese government but any government should be able to censor the things that the citizens can see on the internet/media. A Government that is able to do this holds too much power over citizens and is very oppressive. I believe that everybody in the world should be able to freely discover and find out whatever they want. By restricting media/internet, the Chinese government is able to filter out things that reveal bad things about the government. By doing this the Chinese government can easily make the whole population dislike a thing and like another thing. They are also able to hide mistakes and corruption within the government, so that people believe that the government in China is the best. Consequently I believe that Chinese citizens finding their way past the governments restrictions are justified because all they are trying to do is fight for their right of free speech and they deserve to able to express how they feel about different topic. They also deserve to see the different views on topics, as all of us in the United States are able to do.
ReplyDeleteObviously, China's censorship of media from their citizens is wrong in both leadership and morale values. It takes away the people's freedom in their own country and doesn't encourage them to keep pride for their country. The fact that the government IS trying to censor how people spread and share information/ideas online just makes the people of that suspicious of them. What are they hiding: why do they want control? and why? If the government has secrets that they are hiding then I honestly think that government is unfit to rule. Sure they can try to hide some truths for a reason like keeping crucial information away from enemies or other threats but other than that , the people should have free will to write about or share whatever they want without risk of being censored. (Hussain)
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, I do not think that the government should be able to censor the internet and media for many reasons. The first being that the citizens of the country may not be familiar with current events happening around the world. This cuts the citizens off and gives them nearly no ability to become knowledgeable about worldly events happening on the globe. Secondly, I feel as though the people of this country have lost their freedom of speech. Right now, all of us are writing our opinions on this article, about how we feel about these people not being able to speak out their thoughts. Except when you're living in China, you do not have this right and you cannot express any of your feelings. I cannot imagine not having social media, as it makes me aware of everything applicable to my life and I couldn't imagine a world without it. Lastly, I think that the government feels obligated to control what the public are exposed to. The government tries to dictate how people should live so they can have full power and order in their land. They tell their citizens anything they feel is necessary to keep them grounded and obedient, which may not necessarily be a true fact The citizens will have no way to know if what the government is saying is true. This all entirely leads to the fact that the people are having their freedoms taken away from them.
ReplyDeleteI think that it is situational for when governments should and should not censor the internet. I believe that most of the internet should remain uncensored so that people can surf the internet as they please without interruption. However, certain harmful sites like phishing websites should be censored. I believe the Chinese people are justified in finding an alternative route to access social media as they should have a right to have freedom and be able to use the internet without restrictions.
ReplyDeleteI think that China making it difficult for citizens to express their feelings or look at different things on the internet sounds bad and takes away from a person's human right. The Chinese government or any government should not have the power to suppress what happens in the world. People have the right to know what's going on and express themselves. Although, they might not do the right things with the information or they put something out that may not be appropriate the government can not just choose to block all people from the outside world when only a few may cause a problem.- Steve Thomas
ReplyDelete(Roman Misner) As citizens of the United States, we are fortunate enough to be able to experience the right to free speech. Unfortunately, this is not something that is experienced globally. I feel that the power to censor media and information is a step that governments should not take and should not be allowed to take. Freedom of speech is a basic human right and is something that everyone, no matter where they are located, should be entitled to. The Chinese people deserve the right to free speech just as much as any of us do. The Chinese need to realize the amount of power that they have if they unite as one strong movement. China is currently the most populated country in the world and should realize what they can achieve if they unite. The way the government is treating them is horrible and is something that no people deserve. No matter if the Chinese people continue to take this kind of treatment, it is only a matter of time until the people rebel. People can only take so much mistreatment until they realize the power they have as people and rebel. As history has shown, it is only a matter of when, not if they rebel.
ReplyDeleteAs someone who has previously lived in China, I believe any government should be allowed to censor media/internet for one main reason, which is prevent the country from collapsing. Censorship is a very important tool that governments use to boost morale and keep the country intact. If the government were to let loose and let the citizens express themselves too much, the lack of structure may cause the government to topple, just as Gorbachev's did. I want to introduce the idea that it is very important, when viewing any type of matter, to accept information with an open mind. It might seem confusing as to why the people of China accept President Xi JingPing's censorship so easily, or why they loved Mao ZeDong. The reason they accept these restrictions is because it is a part of Chinese culture to listen to and follow the "great people". President Xi Jinping and Mao had made very large contributions to China; this is why they became "heroes". For example, Mao was a resticting leader, but he was able to transform China from a weak country(colony) to a superpower.
ReplyDelete-Emily Fang
I do not think censorship of the internet/media of a government should be permitted because it is limiting the citizens’ rights. The internet is used to connect the world and when a government blocks the internet completely, they are blocking off international communication. Limiting media causes the expression of opinion to be suppressed as well as the people listening to state-run media which has a biased view on issues. This causes people to not so reliable news as well as not listening to or reading different perspectives. I think that the actions of the Chinese citizens are justified because they are being starved of information, so they find a solution that make them satisfied.
ReplyDeleteThe Chinese finding ways around the Great Firewall to access blocked content are justified because that is the only decision that the Chinese government has left citizens with for those who believe and know that they should have the right to be to able to voice their thoughts freely. Any educated person will know that they should not be threatened, harassed, imprisoned, or intimidated for stating their opinions and that no person should infringe upon another person's rights and freedoms. And throughout history, acts of defiance have always sprouted under oppressive governments and the Chinese trying to access banned social media is just another example of such.
ReplyDelete(Rachel Lee)
While I do not think that governments should practice censorship of various media, especially in such an oppressive manner as this- neither do I believe that censorship should even exist- I cannot state that I would be comfortable governing over 1.2-1.4 billion individuals. Especially with 57.7% (802 million) internet users. (Source 1, Source 2, and Source 3) Imagining governing a land with 1.4 billion people, let alone 803 million internet users without nearly any restrictions. While it is not at all fair to ignore a source for learning- a country's population- or to silence that source for learning so that people are in a position in which they feel that it's impossible to communicate with their government. As it is, it's hard enough for a government to rally enough support and then even have the support of more than half the population. Looking at any long-established democratic nation, in this case the US, voter turnout is already low enough, being below 70% and clocking in at about 60% of those whom are eligible. This also clearly indicates that the support for any given presidential candidate is well below 50% of the population and that any given system is flawed whether we like it or not. To the second question, I absolutely believe that a whistleblower's actions- or those who find loopholes in order to claim their free speech are appropriate. Whistleblowers also play a key role in exposing lies that the government feeds us in addition to things going wrong in the background. For example, Edward Snowden, a well-known, modern-day American whistleblower exposed that the NSA was indeed storing our online data from mobile devices and internet access after James Clapper, a major NSA official, lied under oath. (James Clapper avoiding charges after lying UNDER OATH)
ReplyDeleteHarbani
ReplyDeleteI think that the government shouldn't be able to censor the internet and media because it infringes on the citizens' personal rights and limits their perspective. The internet essentially provides easy access to the most powerful tool-- knowledge. Knowledge can be used to do great good and positively shape a person. If one lacks knowledge, their frame of mind and perspective will be incredibly limited. Furthermore, creativity in their ideas will be limited due to their restricted outlook.
It is the natural right of an individual to attain knowledge. By censoring internet and media, the government is then infringing on the natural rights of its citizens.
Many US citizens find it hard to imagine living in such a society because the freedom of speech and press is one of their fundamental lives. US citizens are constantly surrounded by articles, tv channels, and others who openly speak out on their opinion. Although such opinions often spark controversy, they are effective in keeping the government honest and the citizens aware. In China, if one speaks out their opinion they could get beaten, jailed, or worse.
Source:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/8122210/China-and-human-rights-jailed-for-speaking-out.html
The government of China are completely unreasonable and unjustified in censoring internet use. Doing so will remove a basic right from Chinese citizens and this right should not be violated. Censorship has always been a widely used totalitarian government technique that had usually turn out effective in maintaining control. However, it is very unethical because the government is essentially hiding all harsh realities and bad sides of the itself, therefore manipulating the citizens to believe in something that isn’t necessarily true, or doesn’t contain the entire truth. Citizens are given no choice but to obey. Although maintaining order is crucial in society, citizens still deserve their own individual basic rights, which includes freedom of speech. To address the second question, I believe that the citizens finding ways the Great Firewall depends by case. The action itself can be argued as immoral, but the government would still be blamed for causing this immorality among citizens. Great restrictions will naturally cause rebellions. However, justified or unjustified, it is impossible to prevent this. Hackers are growing increasingly powerful in bypassing government set barriers for illegal content. This issue is not just limited to China; it is seen worldwide. Chinese citizens themselves should not be blamed for bypassing these ridiculous governmental limitations.
ReplyDeleteWhile I do see why the Chinese government would want to sensor its citizens, I don’t think the should have the right to do so. The government wants to exercise all possible control over its citizens to keep them in check and to prevent them from getting upset. When they have access to social media and are able to see the outside world’s uncensored view on China, people may become unhappy with the government and their ruling system. If they don’t know there is better, then they won’t wish for better. That being said, the sheer amount of control the government has on the Chinese society is insane, Chinese people have absolutely no freedom. The comes a point where the government should no longer be able to exercise their control, or else it almost becomes brainwashing. The government is making the people believe that there is nothing else outside of China and giving them no contact with the rest of the world. China is blocking off their freedom to make choices and formulate believes for themselves, without always listening to what someone (the government) is telling them to do. They are forcing people to think one way, when they should be allowed to choose their feelings and not have some government decide for them. Even though I wholeheartedly believe the Chinese government should not be allowed to have this much control over its citizens, I do realize that what the government has put in place are laws, things that should not be broken. Regardless of what it’s based on, a law needs to be followed otherwise there is nothing to keep the world in its place.
ReplyDeleteI do not think the Chinese government should be able to censor social media. Social media has always been a way for citizens not in government to have freedom of speech and is their main outlet to give opinions on subjects such as government. I believe that if social media was suppressed by government, it would lead to an imbalance of power between government and the people. By the government having control of their country and the social media, there is a higher possibility of corrupting what is spread through social media, which can lead to a more chaotic governmental rule. The internet allows people to express their opinions which gives them enough power that their is a balance which is very important for a stable society. Also, the internet allows people from other cultures and societies to understand their lives, and if the government were to censor the information others here would corrupt diverse views of that nation. Therefore, it would benefit the country for China to remove their firewall. It would only help the people obtain truthful information but also keep the government in check. (Sophie Gross)
ReplyDeleteI strongly disagree with the actions that China is taking towards its people and the digital freedom they have. Having access to social media in our current day and age is a very important aspect of life to many. It also connects individuals with the rest of the world or family members. Also social media platforms such as Twitter is a great source of ideas and entertainment to pass the time. Having access to social media also helps the people fell free to voice their opinions on certain subject matter. With the government having control of social media usage it makes it harder for people to connect with the outside world let alone voice their opinions. Therefor they should remove the firewall and stop trying to suppress their country people because he who controls the youth controls the future, and a future where they can not understand foreign relations or cant voice opinions is a depressing future.(Kenneth Caparros)
ReplyDelete(Grace Peni) Freedom of speech is not a privilege but a human right. There is no reason to strip anyone of their opinion and/or personal views of the world and their society. To me, the internet has little to do with diverting people's political views anyway. Most internet posts about politics wouldn't change someone's views of their government if they truly believe in it. Censorship would only lead China to a decline in their government system once citizens start to realize that they are entitled to having an opinion on whatever they desire without feeling threatened. This treatment will only lead to rebellion and the downfall of China's government who have oppressed their people of this right in the first place. Also, because the government refuses to allow their people to give any opinion or feedback of governmental issues, they will only neglect their problems and allow it to ravage their country. Ultimately this would only increase their chances of being overthrown and losing control.
ReplyDeleteCensorship of the media/internet is something a government shouldn't do, or, in a best-case scenario, never be inclined to do. However, with the Chinese government, I can at least see why they’d monitor their citizen's actions as after all, it is their own citizens and it’d be important to see and hear the complaints of your people. But, if oppressive action is taken to pull down standard criticisms of a government, that’s no more helpful than essentially sweeping all your dirty clothes under the bed. If your active goal isn’t to better your country then why run it in the first place at all? Now for those who find ways around the Chinese firewall, good on them 100%. Freedom of speech is a basic human right and shouldn’t need to be grasped for. The fact the Chinese government is punishing and or warning those who are caught for using the app is quite outrageous. Generally, in the first place, there should never need to be an employment of censorship just to temporarily sweep all “unimportant” matters under the rug.
ReplyDelete(Kris Nguyen) In my opinion, the Chinese government should not be able to limit the citizen's ability to access social media like Twitter. I believe that doing this will hinder and hurt the citizens ability to learn outside of their country. In this case I believe that the citizens of China should be able to have the ability to learn and discuss what they think is right and wrong about their country. This will be able to help everyone communicate and understand each other, which will allow less conflict and issues. In the US we are allowed the freedom of speech, where we can speak about anything on our mind, however the Chinese have taken away that freedom to the Chinese people. With the freedom of speech being taken away the government can easily take over and brainwash the citizens of China, since the media is controlled by the government, the media is required to say what the government wants. I also think that it is very wrong for the Chinese government to be able to see what the Chinese citizens look up on the Internet. This is a huge invasion of privacy and security to the Chinese citizens. In addition, the New York Times article States that a man “spent the next 2 weeks in a cell with 10 other people, watching propaganda videos. This man was willing to use the social media, even though he was going to get punished for it. In conclusion I believe that the Chinese government should get rid of the firewall quickly and efficiently otherwise in the near future citizens will retaliate and break more laws even if it means to be punished. (Kris Nguyen)
ReplyDelete(Gabriel Lopez Adorno) I believe that the censorship of media should not be a power that China's government has. The reason why i strongly believe this way is because China is a part of an intergovernmental organization that maintains peace and security around the world. This organization has created "The Universal Declaration of Human Rights" which states "Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression". So clearly China has no right to take these privileges away from their citizens. Since the Chinese government has no right to take the privileges away from its people I think that finding a way around the government. However, chaining people to a fence until they delete their account is a little too far, not to mention illegal. What would be the charge for detaining a person like that? The government is clearly crossing the line and the UN should consider solving this issues very soon.
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