Rebecca MacKinnon on China, Internet Discourse and Censorship
Rebecca MacKinnon's long post on China, internet discourse & censorship.
Among many points she raised, Mackinnon has articulated another reason that calls for corporate social responsibilities of those companies that supply surveillance and filtering technologies to China:
Here are a few of her recommendations on bridging the gap between ordinary Chinese and ordinary Americans both online and offline:
The proposal on an online translated forum reminds me of a blog called 出语不俗 where John, Roddy, Wayne, Bredan and Prince Roy - mostly American bloggers who are living in China or have lived in China blog in fluent Chinese on a wide range of topics on Chinese society and language. Their blog posts often draw a good number of feedback and conversations from its Chinese visitors. I think they are doing a very good job in building trusts and understanding with the Chinese people and can only wish more Chinese people know about their blog and interact with them.
On another note, after the last round of Chinese-Anglophone exchange on internet in China, I am not sure whether translations alone would help foster better understanding among cultures. Even with superb translation, words can still be misread and misinterpreted. A better solution is needed - perhaps that may involve a skillful facilitator to moderate a cross-cultural dialogue.
Among many points she raised, Mackinnon has articulated another reason that calls for corporate social responsibilities of those companies that supply surveillance and filtering technologies to China:
"Don't assume that the expansion of freedom of speech in Chinese cyberspace will necessarily strengthen international peace and brotherly love between China and other countries - the opposite is also possible. In fact, the bulk of voices in Chinese cyberspace today are more anti-American, more anti-Japanese, and more inclined to go to war against Taiwan than the Chinese government is. This is made more acute by the skewed mix of information Chinese internet-users are exposed to thanks to the Great Chinese Firewall - and it's also why U.S. corporate assistance in building that firewall is especially heinous. But there are other factors - like good old-fashioned Chinese nationalism - at work as well." (Emphasis are mine's.)
Here are a few of her recommendations on bridging the gap between ordinary Chinese and ordinary Americans both online and offline:
* An online translated forum through which ordinary Chinese and ordinary Americans can talk to one another - or read and respond to each others' blogs and chatroom posts. Most Americans have no idea what ordinary Chinese people think of them and why.
* Legislation like the Global Internet Freedom Act (but without the glaring loophole), which would promote and fund the development of technologies to circumvent internet filtering & blocking.
* AND/OR promotion and funding of such technologies by the private and non-profit sectors.
* Political and economic pressure against corporations like Cisco who sell technology to the Chinese public security bureau, with full knowledge of how it will be used. What they're doing is no less reprehensible than companies selling ballistic missile components as far as the U.S.'s long-term national security is concerned.
The proposal on an online translated forum reminds me of a blog called 出语不俗 where John, Roddy, Wayne, Bredan and Prince Roy - mostly American bloggers who are living in China or have lived in China blog in fluent Chinese on a wide range of topics on Chinese society and language. Their blog posts often draw a good number of feedback and conversations from its Chinese visitors. I think they are doing a very good job in building trusts and understanding with the Chinese people and can only wish more Chinese people know about their blog and interact with them.
On another note, after the last round of Chinese-Anglophone exchange on internet in China, I am not sure whether translations alone would help foster better understanding among cultures. Even with superb translation, words can still be misread and misinterpreted. A better solution is needed - perhaps that may involve a skillful facilitator to moderate a cross-cultural dialogue.
