Today I stumbled across an interesting article concerning social media in China. Supposedly, Chinese authorities launched a campaign this summer against rumors spread across social media communities. The article states that "an internet user could be sentenced to three years in jail for posting a "defamatory" message that receives more than 5,000 views or is forwarded more than 500 times." This will definitely make you think twice about what you post. Allegedly, a 16-year old schoolboy was recently detained by Chinese authorities due to a post that argued against statements made by local police authorities.
While this campaign seems extreme, and probably wouldn't go over so well with the First Amendment here in the United States, it is apparent that these efforts are in response to the overwhelming impact social media is having on the public in China. We see it here in the United States as well; wether true or false, good or bad, social media gives anyone a voice to start a movement or a belief. We'll see how well these measures play out in China...
Read the full article here.
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