Internet has prove itself to be the most powerful tool when it comes to disseminating information. Bloggers in China got together and made the capture of a Communist Party Official possible. Li Xingong was the deputy director of the Yongcheng city in China. A man with great power in his hands confessed raping multiple underage girls during the police interrogation. However, his capture would not be possible without the help of Chinese bloggers.
Before his arrest, online activists has been calling the case to the public's attention. Sina Weibo, a popular Chinese blog service, has been a central area for the movement against Li Xingong's arrest. Bloggers are outraged by his actions and through blogging, Li Xingong's shameful actions were exposed. This kind of phenomenon was fairly new to the country since the flow of information is tightly controlled by the government.
The number of blog users have increased exponentially in China. This creates a perfect platform for online activists to voice their opinions and expose corruptions in China. They have been quite successful in spreading and gathering news. With the increase of internet and blog users, Chinese politicians start to fear they will lose control of the flow of information.
In class, we discussed about the different ways that blogging has come into play in our society now. However, as this news points out, blogging has created this completely different meaning for the citizens in China. It is interesting to see the power of Internet and how easily one can start a movement just by typing a few words online. As we post our weekly blog, we should think about how lucky we are to have this kind of privilege to post whatever we want on the internet.
For the complete article, click here.
Reported by Ashley Huang
Showing posts with label China. Show all posts
Showing posts with label China. Show all posts
Monday, May 28, 2012
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Journalist Expelled From China For the First Time Since 1998
What does this say about the state of journalism in nations like China, where the media is tightly-controlled?
Last week, China's expulsion of American reporter Melissa Chan, who worked for the pan-Arab news network Al-Jazeera, sparked a mass of debate from both journalists and the government alike. Melissa Chan is the first foreign journalist to be expelled from China since 1998.
Al-Jazeera has come out with a statement that this move by the Chinese government is yet another tool of keeping its international image clean amongst the flurry of authoritarian complaints that exist both in and out of the country.
Coming from a country like the United States, where the freedom of speech is explicitly protected in the 1st Amendment, and where these occurrences are few and far between, it is interesting to see the effect that journalism has on countries like China.
Oftentimes we do not realize the luxuries we have that exist in the platforms of expression that are readily available to us. Would news stations like Fox News and MSNBC -- two networks that are clear in their political leaning and censor little to prove that point -- even stand a chance aganist the government in China?
While in China, Melissa Chan reported on issues that spanned from illegal seizures of farmland to the imprisonment of petitioners. Though these news may not shine brightly on the actions of the Chinese government, they are certainly not in violation of any type of journalistic or governmental breach. It is simply the news. She was simply doing her job.
In fact, the United States government investigated on her work and discovered that Chan had violated no Chinese laws by her method of reporting.
Cultural relativity not withstanding, it is powerful how influential journalism can be in the face of a power like China.
Read the full article here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/al-jazeera-says-journalist-expelled-from-china-first-foreign-reporter-kicked-out-since-1998/2012/05/08/gIQA7ZeeBU_story.html
Last week, China's expulsion of American reporter Melissa Chan, who worked for the pan-Arab news network Al-Jazeera, sparked a mass of debate from both journalists and the government alike. Melissa Chan is the first foreign journalist to be expelled from China since 1998.
Al-Jazeera has come out with a statement that this move by the Chinese government is yet another tool of keeping its international image clean amongst the flurry of authoritarian complaints that exist both in and out of the country.
Coming from a country like the United States, where the freedom of speech is explicitly protected in the 1st Amendment, and where these occurrences are few and far between, it is interesting to see the effect that journalism has on countries like China.
Oftentimes we do not realize the luxuries we have that exist in the platforms of expression that are readily available to us. Would news stations like Fox News and MSNBC -- two networks that are clear in their political leaning and censor little to prove that point -- even stand a chance aganist the government in China?
While in China, Melissa Chan reported on issues that spanned from illegal seizures of farmland to the imprisonment of petitioners. Though these news may not shine brightly on the actions of the Chinese government, they are certainly not in violation of any type of journalistic or governmental breach. It is simply the news. She was simply doing her job.
In fact, the United States government investigated on her work and discovered that Chan had violated no Chinese laws by her method of reporting.
Cultural relativity not withstanding, it is powerful how influential journalism can be in the face of a power like China.
Read the full article here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/al-jazeera-says-journalist-expelled-from-china-first-foreign-reporter-kicked-out-since-1998/2012/05/08/gIQA7ZeeBU_story.html
Monday, May 7, 2012
Chen Guangcheng, Technology, and the Rise of a Democratic China
Chen Guangcheng, a Chinese activist who has recently sought refuge at the U.S. Embassy, fears for his family as they have been placed under house arrest, most recently Guangcheng's nephew was beat by "thugs". Chen Guangcheng, a blind human rights activist and lawyer, has fought for years against the excessive force used in the one child law, resulting in unwanted abortions as well a number of human rights and environmental violations. He is currently kept in a hospital room, away from the public and under supervision by the Chinese government. American diplomats have been warned to not get involved in the affairs of the Chinese government, which have strained current Chinese-American relations. Activists in China have taken to Weibo, a hybrid of twitter and Facebook, to call upon fellow activists to gather and protest for Guangcheng's freedom. The Chinese and U.S. government are still struggling to find an amiable solution for both parties, and in a video from the AP, Vice President Joe Biden expresses concern for Guangcheng and wishes to provide safety to the activist and his family through the form of a study abroad program.
Chen Guangcheng, is one of many Chinese dissidents who have tried to seek refuge in the United States, which continues to perpetuate the idea that American democracy is the purest form of democracy to the Chinese. While their image of America is far from the realities, it shows a longtime movement toward democracy that many Chinese are hoping for. With the advent of Weibo, despite the censorship it faces, still provides the Chinese some form of communication. Some even argue that it may be time for East to turn democratic. It may be difficult now, but there are factors that show a systemic crisis on the rise and Guangcheng and his supporters on Weibo show this. Not only that, but they are receptive to change and new technologies are giving them a new perspective. As much as government officials try to fight the rise of technology in China, the great Chinese firewall can't censor an idea once it has started to spread. Digital activists and citizen journalism is on the rise, as news of Guangcheng hits the states. Guangcheng, with the use of Weibo by his supporters are giving the Chinese new means to be innovative, so long as they continue to stay one step ahead of the government. If a blind self taught lawyer is a threat to the red state, than the future of the Chinese, technology, and democracy is sure to become China's next nightmare.
Chen Guangcheng, is one of many Chinese dissidents who have tried to seek refuge in the United States, which continues to perpetuate the idea that American democracy is the purest form of democracy to the Chinese. While their image of America is far from the realities, it shows a longtime movement toward democracy that many Chinese are hoping for. With the advent of Weibo, despite the censorship it faces, still provides the Chinese some form of communication. Some even argue that it may be time for East to turn democratic. It may be difficult now, but there are factors that show a systemic crisis on the rise and Guangcheng and his supporters on Weibo show this. Not only that, but they are receptive to change and new technologies are giving them a new perspective. As much as government officials try to fight the rise of technology in China, the great Chinese firewall can't censor an idea once it has started to spread. Digital activists and citizen journalism is on the rise, as news of Guangcheng hits the states. Guangcheng, with the use of Weibo by his supporters are giving the Chinese new means to be innovative, so long as they continue to stay one step ahead of the government. If a blind self taught lawyer is a threat to the red state, than the future of the Chinese, technology, and democracy is sure to become China's next nightmare.
Columbia University wants to know about Digital Journalism!
- “Impact: measuring how new practices and tools affect audiences and newsroom resources;
- Transparency in journalism: focusing on public data – what’s available, what’s not, and what’s useful and relevant to people’s lives;
- Data visualization: examining which visuals work best in informing and engaging readers.”
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Google Translate Transforms Communication
While it has been noted that many free online translation services often sound like literal dictionary translations, Google's ubiquitous presence and digital pervasiveness from the well known Google Search to Gmail to YouTube, and recently, Chrome, have made such flaws a more viable option than not being able to communicate at all.
In fact, global communication is core value not uncommon is at UC San Diego, ranking 7th in the nation with 2,375 international scholars from China, South Korea, India, Japan, Germany, France, and others, according to a publication in the UC San Diego International Center 2010 Annual Report. Student demographics resemble similar statistics with 2,493 international students.
These statistics are not only indicative of the university's globalization, but also of the efforts put in by staff and students to exchange knowledge in this digital age. To put it in another perspective, people are exchanging without the constraints of language fluency or dependence on formal schooling. Benefits like tolerance, awareness, and shared culture are priceless considering the recent focus on diversity within the university.
That isn't to say this software is absolutely fine and dandy. It's perhaps the reason why I just failed my Korean Language midterm because of my own reliance on Google Translate to complete homework. Let's just hope the program keeps up with slang, but I'm grateful nonetheless.
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