China Blocks Access to YouTube -- But Why?
JR Raphael, PC World
Mar 24, 2009 3:50 pm
China appears to be blocking all access to YouTube. Now, why in the world would it do something like that? I've got some theories.
First, though, the facts: YouTube use from China started dropping off the map sometime Monday night, with traffic nearly reaching a standstill by Tuesday morning. Google (which owns YouTube) has confirmed the apparent ban, though its staff is not certain of the cause.
"We do not know the reason for the blockage, and we're working as quickly as possible to restore access to our users in China," a spokesperson says.
Google does believe the Chinese government knowingly cut the access. The spokesperson, however, questions why officials wouldn't have just blocked a specific video, as they've done before, rather than nixing the entire site.
Conflicting Messages
Here's where things get interesting: A Chinese Foreign Ministry official tells Reuters his nation is not scared of the Internet -- in fact, he says, it embraces the exchange of electronic information.
"Many people have a false impression that the Chinese government fears the Internet. In fact it is just the opposite," the official, Qin Gang, explains. "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."
China Blocks Access to YouTube -- But Why? - PC World
JR Raphael, PC World
Mar 24, 2009 3:50 pm
China appears to be blocking all access to YouTube. Now, why in the world would it do something like that? I've got some theories.
First, though, the facts: YouTube use from China started dropping off the map sometime Monday night, with traffic nearly reaching a standstill by Tuesday morning. Google (which owns YouTube) has confirmed the apparent ban, though its staff is not certain of the cause.
"We do not know the reason for the blockage, and we're working as quickly as possible to restore access to our users in China," a spokesperson says.
Google does believe the Chinese government knowingly cut the access. The spokesperson, however, questions why officials wouldn't have just blocked a specific video, as they've done before, rather than nixing the entire site.
Conflicting Messages
Here's where things get interesting: A Chinese Foreign Ministry official tells Reuters his nation is not scared of the Internet -- in fact, he says, it embraces the exchange of electronic information.
"Many people have a false impression that the Chinese government fears the Internet. In fact it is just the opposite," the official, Qin Gang, explains. "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."
China Blocks Access to YouTube -- But Why? - PC World
