ON A CHANGE IN CHINA'S INTERNET POLICIES

CLAMP-DOWN

It's been tough to keep abreast of tech news (and news in general) the last few days, since we've been on the move across Brazil.  So I didn't see this bit of news from China on it's new web audio and video policies, until yesterday.   As the New York Times reports:

"China will allow only state-run Web sites to broadcast video or radio through the Internet, tightening the government’s regulatory grip over the media content offered there. Starting Jan. 31, Internet broadcasting license applicants must be government-run entities, China’s State Administration of Radio, Film and Television said Dec. 29 in a statement posted on its Web site.
Operators will be banned from offering content that promotes sex, violence, gambling or religious cults or divulges state secrets, it said. “Internet video and audio providers must be resolute in the service of the socialist ideal and of the people, and regard the interest of overall society as the top priority,” according to a statement from the agency, which will supervise Web video and radio services."

Haven't been able to find much more detail on this, including any debates and discussions generated on Techmeme and elsewhere.  That'll have to wait until returning home this weekend.

But on the surface, it obviously seems like a big change in the internet landscape in one of the biggest emerging internet markets in the world.

It'll be particularly interesting to see how the U.S. services deal with these restrictions in the New Year.

Comments

[Alex Tolley]

I'm less interested in the US response than the Chinese poulation response. This must be felt as an intrusion on new won freedoms by the new elites. Will they just bow down and accept this, or push back? If th eformer, then we can consider kissing goodbye to any hopes of China looking more like us politically as they grow to world prominence. That does not bode well.