Chinese readership and the Great Firewall

I am cognizant of the deep divide in perspectives on Tibet between Chinese people and well...most of the rest of the world. So I hope this blog can gain Chinese readership, not simply Chinese people living outside their country, but mainland citizens. Recently, a good friend of mine from the mainland asked if she could see the blog. What followed is an interesting example of how information works within China's borders.

Long story short this blog - and anything else run by Blogger is blocked by what some refer to as The Great Firewall. It is the largest censoring mechanism in world history. Yes, thousands and hundreds of years ago the Chinese government sought refuge from invading Mongolians, now they seek shelter from information. The project is officially known as the Golden Shield Project.

I was always amazed at the skill by which this Firewall worked. Type in wikipedia, blogger, or until recently bbc and you would simply get a note saying that website was down - YOU DON'T REALIZE YOU'RE BEING CENSORED.

There are, however, ways around this Firewall. Sites exist that disguise one's IP address and make it look like the user is not in China. I used anonymouse.org when I was in China to check an old blog (check it out - Twelve Percent) or to read world news. Most Chinese, however, either don't know they are being censored, don't care, or even more interesting - are happy as they are confident in the proper actions of the government.

Back to my friend - I hope we have found a way for her to read this blog. And I hope a Chinese interest in this blog grows. This blog is a testament to my steadfast personal belief in the freedom of information and debate. I hope she is able to read it, have her own thoughts, and perhaps turn on other friends in China to engage in the discussion.

-Trent

For more thoughts on the Firewall, l read the following article in The Atlantic:
http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200803/chinese-firewall

Curious if your favorite site is censored in China? Check:
http://www.greatfirewallofchina.org/

Wikipedia's Golden Shield Project article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Shield_Project