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<h3 style="margin-top:0;"><a style="font-weight: 500; font-size: 21px;line-height: 30px; margin-top:25px; margin-bottom: 10px;" href="http://u.osu.edu/mclc/2018/11/15/another-crackdown-on-online-expression/" target="_blank">Another crackdown on online expression</a></h3>
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<p>Source: <a href="http://supchina.com">Sup China</a> (11/14/18)</p>
<p>The National Internet Information Office of China, the country’s top cyber authority, has launched yet another crackdown against online expression, with “self-media,” blogs, and microblogs squarely in the crosshairs.</p>
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<li><strong>More than 9,800 blogging accounts</strong> have been erased from the internet since the campaign started on October 20, according to a <a href="https://supchina.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=05fc7fc9529b01bb9bd1abfa7&id=e2fab18bf6&e=b3d625469d" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> (in Chinese) from the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC).</li>
<li><strong>Reasons include</strong> spreading “politically harmful information” (政治有害信息 zhèngzhì yǒuhài xìnxī), creating rumors that disrupt the normal social order, and circulating vulgar content that has a negative impact on teenagers. “The chaotic nature of these self-media accounts seriously trampled on the dignity of laws and regulations, harmed the interests of the people, shaped online public opinion in a negative way, and caused strong backlash from the society,” the statement reads.</li>
<li><strong>The move comes after a series </strong>of commentary articles published by the People’s Daily in October, which criticized bloggers, also known as self-media practitioners, for <a href="https://supchina.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=05fc7fc9529b01bb9bd1abfa7&id=4d9bd7694d&e=b3d625469d" target="_blank" rel="noopener">writing clickbait</a>, <a href="https://supchina.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=05fc7fc9529b01bb9bd1abfa7&id=98d45621e4&e=b3d625469d" target="_blank" rel="noopener">spreading rumors to mislead the public</a>, and <a href="https://supchina.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=05fc7fc9529b01bb9bd1abfa7&id=87f0bf42ad&e=b3d625469d" target="_blank" rel="noopener">being driven solely by profit</a>. The Party's house newspaper also <a href="https://supchina.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=05fc7fc9529b01bb9bd1abfa7&id=778b231afb&e=b3d625469d" target="_blank" rel="noopener">urged authorities to introduce more laws and regulations</a> to restore order in the space of online information. (All links in Chinese).</li>
<li><strong>In August 2017</strong>, China <a href="https://supchina.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=05fc7fc9529b01bb9bd1abfa7&id=3ce9c6ff6f&e=b3d625469d" target="_blank" rel="noopener">initiated investigations into top social media sites</a>, including WeChat and Weibo, claiming that they failed to comply with cyber laws. One month later, the cyberspace authorities moved to <a href="https://supchina.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=05fc7fc9529b01bb9bd1abfa7&id=94dda1d7f6&e=b3d625469d" target="_blank" rel="noopener">monitor conversations on WeChat more closely</a>, which prompted many users to impose self-censorship by deleting chat groups.</li>
<li>This round of censorship seems to be focused on social media accounts about current affairs, and many of the victims were critical or discussed “sensitive” issues.</li>
<li><strong>However, the purge surprised many</strong> by eradicating the official WeChat account of Guancha.cn 观察者网, a pro-government news site associated with <a href="https://supchina.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=05fc7fc9529b01bb9bd1abfa7&id=83c606ec98&e=b3d625469d" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Eric X. Li</a> (李世默 Lǐ Shìmò), the silver-tongued venture capitalist who writes op-eds in American newspapers defending China's leadership.</li>
<li><strong>The No. 1 Sentry</strong> (一号哨位 yīhào shàowèi), a veteran-initiated military blog that was once <a href="https://supchina.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=05fc7fc9529b01bb9bd1abfa7&id=dc11148ba8&e=b3d625469d" target="_blank" rel="noopener">praised</a> (in Chinese) by the People’s Liberation Army Daily for its unique perspective and excellent writing, was also shut down for unknown reasons.</li>
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<p><em>—Chauncey Jung</em></p>
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by <a href="mailto:denton.2@osu.edu">denton.2@osu.edu</a> on November 15, 2018 </div>
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