Openness

I thought I was reading The Onion, but it turned out to be China Daily. Today's headline reads: China says its Web open, welcomes Int'l companies. This is China's response to Google's latest memo about the possibility of exiting its business on the mainland due to censorship and cyber attacks originating in China. This also comes after Zhou Xisheng, deputy chief of Xinhua News Agency, told the world, "Our country's Internet situation is unique. Compared to all kinds of restrictions in foreign countries, China has the most open Internet in the world."

Another article adds to China Daily's: "Web companies must abide by 'propaganda discipline,' the official, Wang Chen, was quoted as saying. 'Companies have to concretely increase the ability of Internet media to guide public opinion in order to uphold Internet safety.'" Interpretation: all Web content must express the Chinese government's pre-approved view of all subjects discussed to further brainwash the masses.

I'm still trying to figure out what China means by "open." With countless Web sites blocked in the country (YouTube, Twitter, imdb, Danwei.org, Facebook, Blogspot, Wordpress, and many more), just how open is that door to China's Internet?