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China allows uncensored Wiki

Published on 16th November 2006 by Brett Thomas

"I did it all for the Wiki" - The Chinese government is allowing unfettered access to Wikipedia.

In an unprecedented (and rather quiet) event, Chinese citizens will find a lot more information at their fingertips now. Though the nation normally enjoys a very strict censorship over all forms of media, it appears some information is so useful that even the government won't fight against it anymore...Wikipedia is now uncensored.

The move comes after various political and consumer firestorms against companies like Yahoo!, Microsoft, and Google. Each of these companies opted to censor content rather than be denied the right to do business in China. Wikipedia had little to lose as far as "business," and so its founder Jim Wales refused to budge. Wikipedia stood defiant to China's demands, refusing to remove articles like the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre.

Wiki's uncensoring could be marking a quiet turning point in the Chinese government's stance. Of course, it's hard to determine exactly what it means or for how long it will continue - Beijing denies that there is any censorship at all. And though Wikipedia is now uncensored, it is possible that it could be exploited instead. Due to the very user-submitted nature, sensitive subjects could be filled with propoganda, rather than just allowing the Chinese to have a voice.

Will this move be a blessing or a curse? Is the Chinese censorship stance truly breaking down, or creatively dealing with a threat? Tell us your thoughts in our forums.

8 Comments

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DougEdey 16th November 2006, 14:23

Yay, maybe Google should do the same. They can't be making much if their advertising is censored.

Nature 16th November 2006, 15:46

My students have never even heard of Tiananmen Square or seen the "famous" picture of the man blocking the tank. I've taught at so many schools, (and a college now) and this piece of history is just missing from the education system... Rich or poor.

I think it's huge to let Wiki availible for the masses, but then again, if my students don't no about Tiananmen Square they certainly won't know about Wikipiedia..

DougEdey 16th November 2006, 15:50

Thats why they need to be taught.

mikeuk2004 16th November 2006, 16:44

Why wife is from Beijing and didnt know anything about it either or seen the video footage of the Tank Man. I showed it all to her but she doesnt care much as even hear in the UK she is still scared of the Chinese Goverment and careful what she says and does. What she doesnt know makes her feel safer.

But it is censored and deleted part of their history inside of China. But still the UK is no better than them with our own Masacer of inocent people in our History.

We too kind of ignore our own bad points in History.

Nature 16th November 2006, 19:11

Such as?

DXR_13KE 16th November 2006, 22:08

one thing: information is power so........POWER TO THE PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!

ChromeX 16th November 2006, 22:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikeuk2004
But it is censored and deleted part of their history inside of China. But still the UK is no better than them with our own Masacer of inocent people in our History.

We too kind of ignore our own bad points in History.

I second nature. Such as who? We ignore but we dont stop others from finding them out if they wish so! We dont censor the average persons viewing rights on the web :| that makes us a million times better than them!

speedfreek 16th November 2006, 23:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nature
My students have never even heard of Tiananmen Square or seen the "famous" picture of the man blocking the tank. I've taught at so many schools, (and a college now) and this piece of history is just missing from the education system... Rich or poor.

I think it's huge to let Wiki availible for the masses, but then again, if my students don't no about Tiananmen Square they certainly won't know about Wikipiedia..

I just find it weird that a large thing like that can just be conviently ignored, I was never taught about it and was 2 at the time. I still know about it and I dont think that something like that should be censored.