WESTERN OUTRAGE OVER CHINA’S MOVE TO RESTRICT INTERNET VIDEO SITES
January 7th 2008 09:08
Western media has been in quite a lather about China’s surprise new ruling that internet videos will be limited to those hosted by companies owned or controlled by the state.
Chinese web site AHN reported that the decision throws into question the future of YouTube and other video services that are operated by private companies and hosted outside the country.
YouTube also operates a Chinese site.
China also said internet video sites must obtain government permission and delete and report any material deemed pornographic or "disrupts social responsibility".
MediaBlab can’t help but speculate whether this move is in reaction to events that unfolded in Myanmar during the September so-called Saffron Revolution when online video clips fuelled reaction and fanned the flames of fervour both inside and outside Myanmar.
Reporters Without Borders certainly had a lot to say about the issue and condemned the new regulations jointly issued by the Ministry of Information Industry and the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television.
The press freedom organisation said, "This is an unprecedented act of censorship. Under the pretext of developing China's media industry, the authorities are stepping up their control of online content, especially in the run up to the Beijing Olympics. Preventing people from sharing video and audio files denies them the ability to show and describe their lives. Any censorship could now be portrayed as a legal measure.
“According to the new regulations, videos and audio files ‘attacking national sovereignty’ will not tolerated. Content that refers to ethnicity, pornography, gambling or terrorism, incites violence, violates privacy or attacks Chinese traditions and culture is also deemed unacceptable.”
The state information bureau ordered the Shanghai-based Oriental Morning Post to withdraw an editorial describing the measures as a way of introducing the requirement for an administrative licence.
- From MediaBlab
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