China to Stifle Internet Access During Games

CBNNews.com

July 30, 2008

CBNNews.com - The Chinese government is making strong efforts to stifle the flow of information in and out of China during the Olympic games.

Just days before the Beijing games begin, foreign-owned hotels were warned by the government that they face the prospect of "severe retaliation" if they refuse to install government software that can spy on Internet use by hotel guests.

Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., released a translation of the document allegedly distributed to the hotels by China's Public Security Bureau.

"These hotels are justifiably outraged by this order, which puts them in the awkward position of having to craft pop-up messages explaining to their customers that their Web history, communications, searches and key strokes are being spied on by the Chinese government," Brownback said at a news conference.

Brownback said several international hotel chains confirmed receiving the order from China's Public Security Bureau.

The hotels are in a bind, he said, because they don't want to comply with the order, but also don't want to jeopardize their investment of millions of dollars to expand their businesses in China.

Journalists Web Sites Blocked

Organizers of the Chinese games are also relenting on another promise to drop blocks on Internet sites in the Main Press Center, where journalists from all over the world will come to report on the progress of the Olympics.

Reporters will have a tough time trying to get information for political and human rights stories. It is these types of articles that China's government dislikes.

The Associated Press reported on Tuesday that Web sites such as Amnesty International or any search for a site with Tibet in the address could not be opened at the Main Press Center. The center will be the work home to about 5,000 print journalists when the games start Aug. 8.

"This type of censorship would have been unthinkable in Athens, but China seems to have more formalities," said Mihai Mironica, a journalist with ProTV in Romania. "If journalists cannot fully access the Internet here, it will definitely be a problem."

When bidding for the opportunity to host the games seven years ago, Chinese officials said the media would have "complete freedom to report."

And in April, Hein Verbruggen and Kevan Gosper - senior IOC members overseeing the games - said they'd received assurances from Chinese officials that Internet censorship would be lifted for journalists during the games.

Gosper, however, issued a clarification Tuesday, saying the open Internet extended only to sites that related to "Olympic competitions."

"My preoccupation and responsibility is to ensure that the games competitions are reported openly to the world," Gosper said.

"The regulatory changes we negotiated with BOCOG and which required Chinese legislative changes were to do with reporting on the games," Gosper added, using the acronym for the Olympic organizers.

"This didn't necessarily extend to free access and reporting on everything that relates to China," he said.

Source: The Associated Press

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