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.
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.
source taken from reuters.com
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