I have some questions for Chinese and China-based bloggers out there. (Please forgive my rusty Chinese… I'm much better at reading than writing, I'm afraid.)
The extent of China's web filtering is often dismissed in the West as not such a big deal because people can use proxies to get around the blockages. People seem to have different opinions about how widespread the knowledge of proxies actually is in China. If you're in China right now or have been spending a lot of time there recently I'd like to know what you think about the following questions:
在国外经常有人说，因为有代理，中国有很多网站上不了没有太大关：真想看这些网站的人总有办法。不同的人对这个问题有不同的看法, 所以我想问中国的 blogger 几个问题:
- Of the people in China who use the internet regularly, what percentage do you think know how to use proxies? Of the people you know, what percentage know how to use proxies? 在中国经常上网的人当中，你估计百分之多少知道怎么用代理？亲自身边的人当中，你估计百分之多少会用代理？
- Out of that group of people, what percentage do you think frequently use proxies to access blocked sites? 会用代理的人当中， 你估计有百分之多少经常用代理上被封的网站？
- In other words, among the proxy-savvy Chinese internet users, to what extent does it matter if things are blocked or not? How much does filtering impact these people's information experience on the internet? 换句话问：在会用代理的中国网民当中，一些网站被封不封有多大的关系？中国政 府封一堆网站对中国 网民的“网上经验” 有多大的影响？
- More generally, amongst all internet users in China at large, how do you think internet blocking and filtering impacts what Chinese internet users do and do not know about their own country and about the world at large? 总的来说，在中国国内访问不了很多网站的情况之下，你觉得这个情况怎么影响 到中国网民对自己的国家和国外的理解？
It would be great to know your views. If you want to answer this on your own blog, please post the link in the comments section here if the trackback doesn't show up automatically. I would especially love to know what the Chinese bloggers think about this question. 麻烦blogger们在自己的 blog 上,或者在下面的“comments” 里面发表自己的意见!
62 comments
The ancient and famous Great Wall of China, built to keep out the ‘barbarians,’ is an enduring metaphor wich resonates even today with China’s TWO firewalls built against communications between people.
The ideological factors are still at work. You just need to pick up some typical
newspapers like China Daily or people’s daily and you will find there are still
articles filled with slogans or words which were so common in the cultural
revolution. Of course there are a lot of websites blocked by the government and
the blockage does no good to the people. Many Chinese people have been used to
believing one-sided reports of news events so there goes the miscommunication
among the Chinese. Communicating with the foreign peoples have been greatly
hindered by the number of countries that the Chinese are allowed to travel to.
It is a shame because we know what a “global village” is but we keep building
walls to let people believe nothing is better than what we got here in China.
Globalization & Neo-Colonialism
!!WAKE UP!!
Please review your comment before posting …
HOW CAN THE FUTURE BE SO PRIMATIVE?
Here we are in the Twentieth Century helplessly watching yet another Human Culture be “Oppressed” by a “White Suppremest Imperialistic Power”. Who’s country is the opposite of independant and who’s Rich illustirous lifestile is nothing more than the “Spoils of War” A Nation that FORCES its POLITICAL GOALS upon another society through MILITARY POWER is called an Empire. And when its POLITICAL GOALS are RACIALY and FINANCIALLY motivated its called a “HATE CRIME” or WAR CRIME/CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY And don’t be mistaken an EMPIRE is exactly what the United States intends to build. Expressing no COMPASHION FOR HUMANITY, CONCIENCE nor sense of WRONG or RIGHT the FACIST WHITE SUPPREMEST IMPERIALISTIC POWER known as the United States Government has yet again SLANDERED and OPPRESSED another HUMAN SOCIETY. Justifying 3000 American lives lost in a plane accident the United States Launched a 4 day bombardment of a heavily populated CIVILIAN area killing upwards of 100,000 inoccent people. Proving Once agian they will not only STEAL another cultures land but HUMILIATE and GENOCIDE their NATURAL WAY OF LIFE. Never in my life did i really think I would be so glad to live in the Great White North(THE GOOD SIDE OF THE BORDER) Now realalizing that only 195 years ago to this Canada Day that 10’s of thousands of Canadians gave their lives to stop a MASS AMERICAN INVASION for the CIVIL RIGHTS and FREEDOM we have today. We Truely are free. To the South are 260 million Brainwashed Nazi Capitalists who will Point Certain Death in whatever direction their CORUPT GOVERNMENT points its twisted finger. How Quickly ANITITERRORISM turns to TERRORISM. Now is the Time that Canada must Stand up and let our voice be heard, We are one of the GREATEST INDEPENDANT MULTICULTURAL NATIONS IN THE WORLD who practice FREE TRADE and promote FREEDOM and PROSPERITY thoughout the world. We must not forget our HERITAGE and allow ourselves to be ASSIMILATED by the “Nazi Capitalists” who now feel they are fit to rule the world. I Refer to the United States as NAZI CAPITALISTS for the simple fact that they’re government has launched a MINDWARPING PROPEGANDA scheme and commited such atrosive CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY that it can only be compared to the HOLOCAUST in reality the United States has been the AXIS OF ALL EVIL in the last 250 years. Origianaly British CONQORERS who Launched a RACIALY and FINANCIALLY motived War agianst a New Found North America LandMass. Which lead to the near GENOCIDE of an entire HUMAN CULTURE.(The “Indian Wars” not in American History!) But to what eventually turned on its MOTHERLAND Britain. Then Canada for not joining its Cause, Trying to Assimilate Not only our Culture but Land and Finances. The United States now denies its Eastern origin and Considers itself a Western Culture as it has Continued to ASSULT the rest of the FREE world since. Using FACIST BRAINWASHING NAZI PROPEGANDA to gain their populations support and financial backing. The United States Government has never Been invaded nor has another culture tried to assimilate them yet they are commited to SPENDING BILLIONS and killing THOUSANDS to fight every United States INVASION to the “last ditch” in order to expand their borders and achieve their political and economical goals.
Yet somehow the American Public thinks they are PROTECTING THEMSELVES!?!?
The American public has watched COVERUP after SCANDAL and COVERUP after CONSPIRACY and yet still never questions their Governments Morals or Motivations…They blindly follow in a SLAUGHTER THE COW fashion while their TAX DOLLARS are spent on the MANUFACTURING AND DISTRIBUTING of WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION instead of HEALTHCARE and EDUCATION! Yet Americans claim they fight for FREEDOM!?
· In the 20th Century there is only ONE “TERRORIST ORGANIZATION” and it is the UNITED STATES of AMERICA. The American Citizens need to wake up and realize that thier Government WELCOMES and BRINGS WW3 to the Human Race so they can Conqour it!
-A Canadian Citizen who loves his FREEDOM HIS COUNTRY AND THE NATURAL FREE WORLD
*As for me,I use proxy everyday and I can surf any blocked site using proxy software.
*For people around me, few of them know how to use proxy to visit those sites.Most of them even never know the fact that many site r being blocked by Chinese gov.
*I agree with someone above, most of netizens in China r not so interested in politics.
*I think Cisco company should be blamed to help Chinese gov to do those nasty things.
Brilliant, just brilliant.
Or should I say “BRILANNT”?
I can’t argue with your logic. At least until I discover it.
!!Wake Up!! —
Your IGNORANCE is only outmatched by your STUPIDITY.
Keep your HEAD in the CLOUDS about your country as socialist paradise; North America’s last bastion of PEACE & JUSTICE? Get real. Canada is no more significant than El Salvador in geopolitics & couldn’t solve any problems. Please stop being jealous that your our kid brother.
And try to stay on topic.
!!Wake Up!! —
Since I’m an understanding person, I’m not going to assume that all Canadians are lunatics like you.
Signed,
An American
As an embarrassed Canadian but proud Albertan, please realize that the above poster has been
brainwashed by our pathetically socialistic education system and our appalling media….
Out here in the West of Canada, we do appreciate America greatly and we know that we owe our
freedom to your Great nation………we have no better friend then America ……remember both
out countries have their share of moonbats and sadly so!!
Happy Birthday!!!
Your post is both sickening and an utter perversion of logic. I won’t waste any further time or effort responding.