China: Controls Tighten as Internet Activism Grows

Human rights watchdog Amnesty International says that the world's most populous country is fighting a shameful battle against its own people. The Chinese government has implemented some of the most restrictive internet regulations in the world, banning Chinese web users from visiting certain foreign websites, and even suppressing speech and dissent on China-based websites. In less than a year and a half, Amnesty's latest report finds, detentions for 'subversion' and 'endangering state security' have increased 60 percent, not including the unknown numbers of people who were imprisoned for spreading news about SARS during last year's outbreak. Nonetheless, the report says, as the internet spreads further in China there are signs that internet activism may be on the rise. - YaleGlobal