The document discusses internet censorship in China and provides an overview of using the China Channel, a Firefox extension that allows users to experience the internet as seen from behind China's firewall. Key points:
1) The China Channel simulates China's internet censorship system, known as the Great Firewall of China, and blocks sites that are typically censored in China such as Wikipedia pages.
2) Using the China Channel, the author was unable to access sites known to be blocked in China and received errors, showing how internet access is limited.
3) Experiencing censorship through the China Channel can provide insight into how the internet works in censored countries and a potential glimpse of how
The document discusses internet censorship in China and provides an overview of using the China Channel, a Firefox extension that allows users to experience the internet as seen from behind China's firewall. Key points:
1) The China Channel simulates China's internet censorship system, known as the Great Firewall of China, and blocks sites that are typically censored in China such as Wikipedia pages.
2) Using the China Channel, the author was unable to access sites known to be blocked in China and received errors, showing how internet access is limited.
3) Experiencing censorship through the China Channel can provide insight into how the internet works in censored countries and a potential glimpse of how
The document discusses internet censorship in China and provides an overview of using the China Channel, a Firefox extension that allows users to experience the internet as seen from behind China's firewall. Key points:
1) The China Channel simulates China's internet censorship system, known as the Great Firewall of China, and blocks sites that are typically censored in China such as Wikipedia pages.
2) Using the China Channel, the author was unable to access sites known to be blocked in China and received errors, showing how internet access is limited.
3) Experiencing censorship through the China Channel can provide insight into how the internet works in censored countries and a potential glimpse of how
The China Channel sheds light on information control
NTERNET CENSORSHIP IS China, the system used by China search. I received a
something that is often the Chinese government to rare Yahoo error 999 that discussed but rarely control what Chinese citi- temporarily prevented me experienced firsthand, at zens can read and access on from doing any Yahoo least here in the West. the Internet. China searches. For most of us, we can What is it like to have Since you are running write about, read and look access to a censored and through a proxy server on for anything that interests controlled Internet, where the other side of the world, us on the Internet. there's aiways a chance that surfmg through the China But this isn't the case a site you want to go to is Channel can be slow. But everywhere. In some coun- blocked and inaccessible? fast or slow, using the China tries, citizens can access only If you reañy want to find Channel can be eye opening an Internet that is heavily out the answer to this ques- for those of us who are used censored and blocked. And tion, download the free Firefox to a wide-open Web. the censorship isn't focused solely on porn, gambling and otlier typically frowned-upon activities. The censorship The China Channel can often involves legitimate be eye opening for those news Web sites, public orga- nizations and Web sites for used to a wide-open Web. entire countries. Imagine trying to find i» information about a well- extension called the China Because for many of us, known historical event or Channel {http://c}iinachanriel. the Web and the Internet political group but getting hk/). Tlie China Channel is have become all about the kicked off the search engine a simple proxy system that free search for information. when you hunt around for runs your browser behind a So it's worthwhile to try these things. Or imagine try- Chinese IP address. When the out the China Channel to ing to surf to popular interna- China Channel is activated, see how the Internet works tional news sites and receiv- you see the Internet as a per- in some parts of the world. ing a Web error. If you're son in China would. And tliere's no guarantee being blocked from this type To test the China Chan- that our Internet will always of content, are you even really nel, 1 used a Wikipedia list remain free and uncen- using the Internet.^ of sites known to be blocked sored. The China Channel Unfortunately, this is in China. Sure enough, with could be a window into our exactly what citizens in the China Channel enabled, future, e some countries are expe- I was unable to browse to riencing. And the biggest any of these sites, mostly eWEEK Chief Technology Ana- example of this is what is receiving errors. In one lyst Jim Rapoza can be reached called The Great Firewall of case, while doing a Yahoo atjrapoza@eweek.com.