Chinese censors block Obama's call to free the Internet

What they didn't mention here is the fact that during his speech at the Town Hall at University of Shanghai yesterday, most of the previously blocked internet sites were unblocked, including the White House homepage which streamed the entire speech live to the world, including China where everyone could hear him mention the comment about free internet.

Luckily, the younger generation in China knows how easy it is to get around the "blocked" internet sites by using anonymous proxy servers. I have friends in China and have been there myself to see how easy it is to get around it and see anything on the internet.

What they didn't mention here is the fact that during his speech at the Town Hall at University of Shanghai yesterday, most of the previously blocked internet sites were unblocked, including the White House homepage which streamed the entire speech live to the world, including China where everyone could hear him mention the comment about free internet.

The article did mention that, actually.

I wish he would prod Japan instead. Japan has blocked my access to sites several times with an official customs page! China is not the only country practicing censorship!

I think China should keep it's citizens from using the internet to cyber attack others. Use a Great FireWall to keep them in instead of other sites out.

numbskull, Id be interested to know what sites Japan has blocked you from seeing. China`s government is epic fail for trying to control the thoughts of its citizens and I will fully support a free speech revolution when it happens.

China censors call to not censor...logically consistent.

Japan has blocked my access to sites several times with an official customs page!

Don't know what sites you can't access. I haven't had that issue having been here almost as long as the Internet has.

Maybe you are talking about sites outside Japan that block access from other countries. That is mainly entertainment content that the site in the individual country (mostly USA) blocks itself for licensing reasons. I would be really surprised if you could name sites the the Japanese government blocks access to. Waiting for your examples.

I read one article that said Obama was aware that it was basically closed circuit and had to negotiate on text before he got to speak. < :-)

thomyorke, if you are in Japan and do enough web searches some are bound to come up! I suggest researching things that are illegal here. But I can't tell you what was there because they blocked and I had never seen the sites before! This applies anywhere with such censorship. You don't know what they are blocking! You can't! You can only take their word for it. Scary stuff.

Chinese censors block Obama's call to free the Internet

Of course.

“I recognize that different countries have different traditions. I can tell you that in the United States, the fact that we have free Internet — or unrestricted Internet access — is a source of strength, and I think should be encouraged.”" I hope he stands by that statement. I mean, I wouldn't want the/a government taking control of the internet.

You don't know what they are blocking! You can't! You can only take their word for it. Scary stuff.

So you are saying to take your word that the Japanese government is blocking website? You offer no proof of things you can't find. I can search for info on making drugs and bombs from Japan in English and Japanese. Those are illegal but aren't blocked. Do inform us of all those things you tried to find but were blocked!

I don't know what Obama thought he was really going to accomplish by making this kind of speech. He has no means to implement what he proposes. The Chinese government is going to be laughing at him as just another big talker. The guys in Beijing know a bit about pragmatism.

Or, to put it differently, old age and treachery will always triumph over youth and enthusiasm.

I work at a major university in China and it is not my experience that the students know much about getting roung the censors. The vast majority don't even know what a proxy is let alone use one. Actually they don't care to widen their horizens and are content to chat (QQ) , play games and surf the Chinese sites like Baidu. Wikipedia is about as far as they go and that's a rarity.

So you are saying to take your word that the Japanese government is blocking website?

No. You are welcome to find out for yourself. I cannot know why some sites are blocked. But I suggest it may have to do more with pictures and video than text? It may have been porn they blocked but it was not always porn I was looking for. If you research a sex topic, porn is bound to come up. But if, instead of the site, I got a customs page in Japanese declaring the site blocked, I cannot know what or why it was blocked now can I!

numbskull, a simple copy paste can prove all your clam. or may be they block ip from japan rather than japan block the site. like this on http://georgewbush.com/ on one i know can enter that lovely site!

I work at a major university in China and it is not my experience that the students know much about getting roung the censors. The vast majority don't even know what a proxy is let alone use one. Actually they don't care to widen their horizens and are content to chat (QQ) , play games and surf the Chinese sites like Baidu. Wikipedia is about as far as they go and that's a rarity.

I studyed at a major university in China, and it is common sense that one should set up a proxy before he complains some thing on Campus BBS.

And what's wrong with surfing Chinese web sites, we can also have free discussion on Chinese sites just like JT. Ever heard of "Tianya" ?