February 25, 2011

Blog Topic #6

One basic tenet of a democracy is the freedom to obtain and share information.  Since globalization is partly driven by increasing access to media, denying access is a serious concern.  The "Jasmine Revolution" taking place across the Middle East and North Africa has spread because of people's ability to communicate via cellphones and the Internet.


Since the Peoples Republic of China is a communist country it does not have freedom of the press and it does not allow unfiltered access to the Internet. For example, when you or I Google the Three T's -Tiananmen Square, Taiwan, or Tibet - from Link Library we get different results than if you Google that same term while sitting in an Internet cafe' in Beijing.  This systematic filtering is sometimes called the Great Firewall of China.

The Chinese government filters or blocks certain content it deems inappropriate for its citizens, including YouTube videos, Facebook, and Twitter. It also requires domestic video sharing websites to be state-owned.


This week the government shut down LinkedIn, a business oriented social networking site, for a short time since people were calling for a "Jasmine Revolution" in China.

I want you to find a news link specifically about the Great Firewall.  Provide a link to the article and write a paragraph expounding on the topic.

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