Teenagers banned from Internet cafes in China

[鬼束ちひろ]

The Xinhua News Agency reveals teenagers are to be banned from Internet cafés in China as part of a Government-led initiative to prevent young people from being exposed to "immoral and harmful content."

The ban also extends to karaoke bars and discos as the Government attempts to crack down on "audio and video products and electronic games" which "harm national security and incite hatred toward other nationalities," as reported by the Xinhua News Agency. The ban will go into effect on March 1st.


see more here

[Kinsao]

That's a nightmare.
I'm lost for words.
Of course, I'm not so naive as not to know this happens... but to see it in black and white...

[Mamoru-kun]

That's a nightmare.
I'm lost for words.
Of course, I'm not so naive as not to know this happens... but to see it in black and white...

That's a nightmare for them if you consider that they are somehow closing another door to the rest of the world, as japan did some centuries ago. But here we are speaking about billion of people! They are not closing a door, they are setting the frontier deeper! If they continue that way, we will soon have two "Earths" down here, in wich each part will "horrible" for the other one...

[godppgo]

So accessing internet at home will not expose teens from immoral and harmful content? I don't see the logic in that.....

[MrsAmberface]

that makes almost no sense at all aside from the fact that it just sounds like the ""house moms of america"" <--lol--> except for in china i belive i'd be lost with out internet. It may be bad but there is a lot of good like sites such as this where you meet and interact with people and then learn some that makes me sad

[Kinsao]

godppgo: That's a good point But also, it's like influence of the state, it has influence on feelings of the public... it's like they are putting the message across that 'internet is a bad thing for children'... and this kind of message percolates... even though they would still be allowed to use internet in their home (depending on the parents). And also that sort of thing paves the way for much more extreme censorship... (as indicated by the second part of the post)

Mrsamberface: Yeah, like everything else there is good and bad things, just like books or TV or movies, somethings ok for children and some not, that's life.

[ArmandV]

This is no surprise. China's a communist country. People tend to forget this.

[Ma Cherie]

This is no surprise. China's a communist country. People tend to forget this.

That's what's wrong, in theory China shouldn't be defined as a communist country. Not after it has adopted the market system. In theory this makes no sense.

[ArmandV]

That's what's wrong, in theory China shouldn't be defined as a communist country. Not after it has adopted the market system. In theory this makes no sense.

"In theory." But it is still not the reality. The government is still communist.

"No matter how much lipstick you put on a pig, it is still a pig."

[bossel]

The government is still communist.

Only by name, but not by deed. It's a party dictatorship, but there is hardly a communist feature left beyond that (if that is a particular communist feature at all).

[Silverbackman]

Only by name, but not by deed. It's a party dictatorship, but there is hardly a communist feature left beyond that (if that is a particular communist feature at all).

That is true but that is what happens to anyone who attempts communism or pure socialism. Mao's version of communism was a bit closer to Marx's view and yet it lead to the starvation of millions. Pol Pot's communism was even closer to Marx's vision, and it lead to one of the biggest crimes against humanity of our time. North Korea, well might as well not venture into there!

There is however two communist countries that isn't generally talked about: Vietnam and Laos. Whatever happened in those two countries? Did they become more capitalistic or did communism actually work there?

[ArmandV]

Only by name, but not by deed.

Tell that to the students butchered in Tiananmen Square a few years ago.

[Sukotto]

Sad,
but let's not stop paying attention to "over here" (wherever
your 'over here' may be). In the US they do it more sublte
and via corporations.


It seems corporations want to pave two seperate paths
for the internet, one in which those who can pay get a fastlane
and the slow lane for the rest of us. Plus they want to charge
for almost everything we do on the internet.
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20060213/chester

Center for Digital Democracy
http://www.democraticmedia.org/issue...eutrality.html


and,
I seem to recall reading some time ago about a neo-con
proposal for government to control the internet in the case of
some sort of 'national security' situation. After about 10 minutes
of internet searching, I could not find this however...



---added---
what's this 'domain name' stuff I just started to read about?
sorry if I'm highjacking the thread.
I'll go search elsewhere on the forum.

I agree with many above.
the net is a great way to meet people you might not ordinarily
be able to meet, and before societal prejedices might set it.

[nurizeko]

"harm national security and incite hatred toward other nationalities"

Oops, too late.

[Brooker]

That's too bad. I hope the people of China can enjoy all of the freedoms others enjoy.

[gs001]

As I know this stipulation was implemented several years ago,
and it has nothing to do with political suppression.
teenagers are often addicted to internet and play truant,
so they were only allowed to go to internet bar at holiday.
if they choose to access internet at home, their tutor can
easily supervise them.
And from this thread I know how China be demonized
China now has 110 millions of netizen(almost the same as
Japanese total population) and 64% of them use Broad Band,
no one can "control" this huge people and digital flow.
I'm not a communist lover, I just want you understand China
objectively.

[Silverbackman]

As I know this stipulation was implemented several years ago,
and it has nothing to do with political suppression.
teenagers are often addicted to internet and play truant,
so they were only allowed to go to internet bar at holiday.
if they choose to access internet at home, their tutor can
easily supervise them.
And from this thread I know how China be demonized
China now has 110 millions of netizen(almost the same as
Japanese total population) and 64% of them use Broad Band,
no one can "control" this huge of people and digital flow.
I'm not a communist lover, I just want you understand China
objectively.

LOL, gs001 you continue to amaze me wherever you go. Communist or not, there are still victims of this government control. Why can't you guys at least become more like Taiwan?

[nurizeko]

As I know this stipulation was implemented several years ago,
and it has nothing to do with political suppression.
teenagers are often addicted to internet and play truant,
so they were only allowed to go to internet bar at holiday.
if they choose to access internet at home, their tutor can
easily supervise them.
And from this thread I know how China be demonized
China now has 110 millions of netizen(almost the same as
Japanese total population) and 64% of them use Broad Band,
no one can "control" this huge people and digital flow.
I'm not a communist lover, I just want you understand China
objectively.

I highly doubt that statistic of chinese users, but if its true, your country is still highly restrictive on internet access.

China certainly isnt as bad as the mao era but, people still go missing, prisons are still harsh, pro-democracy is still crushed, i really do feel its just a general ignorance of how much freedom other countries have.

China can be the richest most powerful country in the world, ide still rather live in my scottish backwater with all my freedoms intact.

Though from stories of asian kids dying after insane gaming marathons, i dont question that it seems more addictive to asian kids then western thing...i think its a consiquence of the culture though, american-asians dont seem as badly effected by it.

[Supervin]

I highly doubt that statistic of chinese users, but if its true, your country is still highly restrictive on internet access.

There are actually 134 million Net users in China, and counting, FYI.

Internet access is not at all restrictive in China.

It's just that there is this massive firewall implemented on the Internet in China by the Communist Government, and recently, with both Microsoft and Google in China supporting and maintaining this. (I won't even begin to go into the lack of moral scrupples by multinational corporations and their double standards.) Topics and blogs related to democracy, Taiwan, Falun Gong and Tiananmen are screened out.

[Ma Cherie]

I also wouldn't rule out the possibility of hackers in China. I mean, if those teens want to find out about something there will be a way for them to do it. And how effective is this so-called internet police I've been hearing about?

[nurizeko]

There are actually 134 million Net users in China, and counting, FYI.

Does that count those with their own computer and own internet connection or simply anyone who can waltz into an internet cafe?

Anyway i dont doubt the chinese government keeps a tight grip on the internet, un-checked it would lead to crazy thnigs like independent thought and progressive political philosophy and you know, the sort.

[gs001]

There are actually 134 million Net users in China, and counting, FYI.

My figure was quoted at China internet network information center(CNNIC)
so it is more accurate.

Tell that to the students butchered in Tiananmen Square a few years ago.

I myself participated in democratic movement in 1989.6.4
But things have changed, no one interested in political struggle now,
Today's Chinese people only fight for a wealthy life,
such as houses, cars, and travel aboard ......
and communist also changed a lot, if you don't take real action to overthrow communist, you will enjoy all the freedom that democratic
country enjoy(I believe anyone who has been to China will confirm this).
so if you want to convince an ordinary Chinese that he is under
political suppression, he will laugh at you.

=======
nurizeko: you'd better live in your scottish backwater, read
all the negative news about China and pretend that you know China
very much.

[ArmandV]

But things have changed, no one interested in political struggle now

communist also changed a lot, if you don't take real action to overthrow communist, you will enjoy all the freedom that democratic
country enjoy

To be honest, I think it is because the people there are too scared to do anything because they know what'll happen.

Perhaps as the old hardliners die off, things will change for the better. I wish you well.

[Supervin]

I myself participated in democratic movement in 1989.6.4

As far as I'm concerned, the people who took part in June 4th have had a taste of brutal suppression by the CCP through witnessing or falling victim to it. It seems that you aren't in the slightest way affected by it, which makes your claim dubious.

But things have changed, no one interested in political struggle now,
Today's Chinese people only fight for a wealthy life,
such as houses, cars, and travel aboard ......

Tell that do the peasants and villagers who have undergone substantial injustice due to frequent corruption, who then get beaten and dragged away when they come all the way to Beijing to report their case.

Tell that to those who come in conflict with Party officials only to be suppressed either by violence or have their livelihoods taken away.

People are not 'interested', because they are powerless under this authoritarian regime.

and communist also changed a lot, if you don't take real action to overthrow communist, you will enjoy all the freedom that democratic
country enjoy(I believe anyone who has been to China will confirm this).
so if you want to convince an ordinary Chinese that he is under
political suppression, he will laugh at you.

How have the Government changed a lot in any way of managing things? Corruption is still rampant. Justice is still not being served to people who bring claims - those who have money or Party connections get their way. There is still a great lack of human rights, not to mention torture is still being used often.

And when the heck have people ever enjoyed freedoms like democracy? If they have, then they should have elected their Prime Minister.

It seems that you haven't the slightest clue on political matters in China. But hey, how can you possibly know, when you have State-controlled television, State-controlled newspapers and State-controlled propaganda?

[godppgo]

I was visiting my gf's family in China and we passed some religious people handing out flyer. I decided to take one but my gf quickly pulled me away saying that there are people watching. Back at her family's I went on internet just to find out I can't access several political, news sites I used to go on in Canada. After dinner me and my gf's father started talking about politics. He had to warn me not to tell other's what we discuss and just keep them to ourselves even before we have started discussing anything. While out shopping with my gf, I've never seen so many police and military personnel on street. I am used to seeing maybe one or two cops at most a day in Canada and all those authority presense makes me feel like the country is in war or something.

Also, I had a chance to visit HK while I was in China. The moment I crossed the China-HK border checkpoint I can feel an immediate change in atmosphere. Propoganda billboards are replaced by election billboards. Religious billboards and signs were out there which are virtually non-existence in China. The two regions are only separated by a fence and the difference in political environment is huge.