Web Censorship on the Increase

mid-devonian writes "Close on the heels of the temporary blocking of YouTube by a Turkish judge, a group of academics has published research showing that Web censorship is on the increase worldwide. As many as two dozen countries are blocking content using a variety of techniques. Distressingly, the most censor-heavy countries (which includes China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Burma and Uzbekistan) seem to be passing on their technologically sophisticated techniques to other areas of the world. 'New censorship techniques include the periodic barring of complete applications, such as China's block on Wikipedia or Pakistan's ban on Google's blogging service, and the use of more advanced technologies such as 'keyword filtering', which is used to track down material by identifying sensitive words.'"

XXXX XXXX!

[Anonymous Coward]

Xxxx xxx xxxx? xxxx x xx x xx xx xxx xx! xxxx xxx ...

xxxx xxxx Xxxxxxxx!

xxx... xxx!

XX XXX XXX XXXX XXXXX!!!!!!X!X!X!XXX

Uh oh

[eviloverlordx]

I was just reading about *CENSORED* on the *CENSORED*, when all of a sudden some guys *CENSORED* into my apartment and started *CENSORED* my stuff and *CENSORED* my wife.

Democracy, Freedom and Naked Babes

[digitaldc]

We must protect the people from the harm caused by this new axis of evil.

Just try and search for them, I dare you!

It's necessary.

[Seumas]

You can't protect society without controlling society. You can't control society without controlling information. In the land of ignorance, the informed man is king. True democracies don't have kings. Information is communism. Ignorance is patriotic. Oh shit, American Idol is on -- gotta go!

In Solviet Russia...

[ArikTheRed]

web searches you?

This is good news

[Anonymous Coward]

As a citizen of the People's Republic of China, I can only see this as good news. It is heartening to see that the people of the world are outgrowing their childish attachment to outdated notions like "freedom" and "individualism" and realizing that future progress of humanity depends on subordination of individual drives to the good of harmonious society and beneficial development of the motherland.

At this time in history, people all over the world are waking up to the damage that capitalism and "Democracy" have brought to the world. America and Europe and their nineteenth-century ideas of "rights" and "freedom" have brought little else but war, genocide, terrorism, environmental devastation, immoral depravity, exploitation, and chaos.

Small wonder that a recent Beijing Star poll shows that People's Republic of China is the most respected nation on earth. We move forward together harmoniously into twenty-first century, the century of Communism.

Hmm.

[kabocox]

Only 4 comments so far on the topic of censorship on slashdot? Damn, it's too late someone much have censored slashdot from most businesses! Oh, no, think of the productivity gains that just made.

Gee...

[Otter]

It's too bad we didn't turn the Internet over to the UN like you guys all wanted...

Re:you can't stop me

[truthsearch]

What's wrong with blumpkin? It's a perfectly cromulent word.

Re:Uh oh

[truthsearch]

Peter: Oh, Lois, you are so full of (BEEP)! WHAT?! Now I can't say (BEEP) in my own (BEEP)ing house?! Great, Lois. Just (BEEP)in' great. You know, you're lucky you're good at (BEEP) my (BEEP) or I'd never put up with ya. You know what I'm talking about, when you (BEEP) lubed-up (BEEP) toothpaste in my (BEEP) while you (BEEP) on a cherry (BEEP) Episcopalian (BEEP) extension cord (BEEP) wetness (BEEP) with a parking ticket. That is the best!

Proud to be an American

[Joebert]

The U.S. is like the slutty girl down the street that nobodys mom wants them talking to.

Re:Proud to be an American

[R2.0]

Yeah - we think we're hot shit, but everyone else's Mom and Dad thinks we are vulgar and violent.

And when they aren't looking, all their kids try to get inside us, sometimes when we don't want it, but we let it happen anyway 'cause it feels so good.

Holy crap

[StikyPad]

from the xxx-xxxx-xxx-xxxx-xxxxxx dept.

Now that. Is some hardcore pr0n. I don't even want to know...

What quote fits best here...

[SuperKendall]

"Distressingly, the most censor-heavy countries (which includes China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Burma and Uzbekistan) seem to be passing on their technologically sophisticated techniques to other areas of the world. "

Hey, information wants to be free!

Re:XXXX XXXX!

[MightyYar]

Oh, sure, joke around... but Slashdot is in it with the Chinese government. Look what happens when you try to paste in Chinese text:
,

And they're in it with the Saudis, too. Check out what happens when you paste in Arabic text:

See?!?!? It all just disappears!