Who Controls the Internet in China?

Hi, Class,

Last Saturday Professor mentioned Taiwan, Taiwan is a free country. People who live in Taiwan can do anything that we want to do. However, I went to China to visit my friend last summer, I found there are so many things different in China. I went to Shanghai, as we know, Shanghai is a national and famous big city. But I still can not believe that it is not so free in this city.

First of all, the Internet can not connect any websites. I remember the first day I went to Shanghai, I used the Internet to connect “Facebook”, it did not work. OK, then I tried to connect “YouTube”, it still failed. Then I wanted to check my email on my Yahoo Taiwan mail box, it still could not fine the page. I felt getting crazy when I found I could not connect the websites I usually have to surf everyday. I asked my friend who live in Shanghai, she told me this is very common on China. The government wants to control everything, it doesn’t want people who live in China to know too much information, that is why I could not connect those websites.

Second, people can not buy any kinds of magazines in China. In China, you can not buy some magazines which be published in Hong Kong. Even Hong Kong and China are the same country, but the government thinks some of magazines which be published in Hong Kong have too much criticism about China. The government is afraid of those thinking will influence people, so people can not find some of magazines from Hong Kong. Of course, magazines from Taiwan are not allowed to be sale in China.

Third, people can not say any bad words about their government in public area. Even today, China still has the policy about this. For me, those things are so unbelievable. I felt very shock when I was in China. However, for my friend who live in China. She does not have any feeling, she gets used to everything, she does not think it is not free. She told me this is not big deal, and people who live in China still have many things can do. For example, they can not use the Internet to connect Taiwan and U.S. websites, but they still can connect the websites in China. When I heard this, I don’t know how to change her mind. For me, everything is so closed in China. The Media in China is not so open. After this trip, I learn some lessons. I know what precious of free, and I hope one day people who live in China have the chance to feel real free.