This is funny. Here’s Kevin Drum’s post about the Chinese Internet banning searches for “freedom.”
FREEDOM IN CHINA….The authorities in China have long censored internet access to news sources they dislike, but Peking Duck reports that they are now censoring Google searches for specific words. Apparently they’ve previously targeted specific phrases like “Tiananmen Square,” but an emailer says that a Google search for even a common word like “freedom” now returns garbage, whether the search is done in English or Chinese. Several of PD’s commenters confirmed that the same thing happened when they tried it.
It sounds like there’s some pretty serious paranoia setting in among the powers-that-be in Beijing. Do I have any readers in China who can confirm this?
This is followed by a creative commenter’s rendition of the same exact text, only modified to slip past the CCP Internet censors:
EGG FLOUR SOUP IN CHINA….The sesame buns in China have long mushu rolls to news sources they fry, but Peking Duck tastes that they are now eating sticky rice for specific steamed dishes. Apparently they’ve previously targeted specific noodles like “Salty Prunes,” but an emailer says that a sticky rice for even a common dish like “bean curd” now returns garbage, whether the fish sauce is done in English or Chinese. Several of PD’s scallions confirmed that the same thing happened when they tried it.
It sounds like there’s some pretty serious hunger setting in among the chicken soup-that-be in Beijing. Do I have any readers in China who can confirm this?
Now that is clever.
UPDATE: Simon offers his own unique perspective on the google freedom ban. Be sure to check it out.
1
By Other Lisa
hahhah!
Well, you ought to see a spike in traffic with this link, Richard.
It’s an interesting discussion over there, actually…apparently what’s blocked not only varies from ISP to ISP, but also from province to province – which lends support to the whole notion that authority in China is not as neatly centralized as people often tend to assume…
May 5, 2005 @ 2:09 pm | Comment
2
By richard
You know, there was only a small uptick. His audience goes there for US politics and, like most Americans, isn’t really that interested in what’s going on in China. A link from Atrios once got me many more times the traffic. That said, I’m thrilled he linked to it, and the comments there are great.
May 5, 2005 @ 3:05 pm | Comment
3
By Ivan
Oh my God! I went to a Chinese restaurant yesterday and all that was on the menu were dishes like “Tibet” and “Human Rights” and “Tienanmen Square!”
May 5, 2005 @ 10:26 pm | Comment
4
By pete
Last night in China I could not google “freedom” or several phrases using it.
This morning at a different location and different computer in the same city, Igoogled freedom, let freedom ring and chinese constitutional freedoms. Mei wenti zhe ge shijian.
May 8, 2005 @ 9:39 pm | Comment
5
By richard
Interesting — but the Cybernanny has always been fickle and frivolous. Sometimes I was able to access Blogspot sites, usually not. Unpredictable and irrartional, just like so much else in China.
May 8, 2005 @ 9:44 pm | Comment
6
By Gerrie
richard,
Enjoy your site. Tried the Google freedom thing and got the message that the page contained no data.
A British teacher at my university had a great website, mainly for use of his students. It has been shut down, he has no idea what offended the gods.
nicknoble.net
May 10, 2005 @ 8:41 pm | Comment
7
By richard
I suspect it was shut down due to some sort of affiliation with the BBC.
May 11, 2005 @ 6:19 am | Comment