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September 09, 2004

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The net in Asia

The CSM has a report on the internet and improving online freedom in Asia. The article asserts while many Asian countries are trying to censor and control the net:

[the] free-wheeling and expansive nature of the online world has proved difficult to control, pushing Beijing and similar governments in the region to make concessions...

China's massive firewall is already showing cracks under the weight of the Internet's expansion. The pressure has come from innumerable sources, including an onslaught of weblogs, open-source directories, and projects like Wikipedia, an "open-content" encyclopedia.

China's not alone. South Korea is metioned, including the estimate that South Korea blocked 18,000 pages last year. The number will be far higher this year with the blockage of video of the Korean Iraqi hostage beheading. Interestingly Mongolia has an open Government internet forum, where If they stick to basic courtesy, those with Internet access in the vast reaches of Mongolia can discuss public policy online, and be certain the prime minister will read the message boards at least once every two weeks. The forum's input is often discussed at Cabinet meetings and other policy-making venues. Now that's participative democracy.

 posted by Simon on 09.09.04 at 12:04 PM in the




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Comments:

From the article
"In Burma, the report says, public Internet connections are rare, "partly for reasons of poverty but mostly because of the military regime's harsh crackdown on freedom of expression.""

And interestingly they are the first country in the region to offer e-passport and e-visa - http://www.visa.gov.mm/

 posted by: Preetam Rai on 09.09.04 at 04:58 PM [permalink]




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