China and the Internet
Government Control and the U.S. Policy Response
The government of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) places strict limitations on its domestic and foreign news media. Information that is considered “politically sensitive” or that conveys organized dissent and criticism of the Communist Party is not tolerated. As a result, objective reporting on subjects such as China’s human rights record, Tibetan independence, Falun Gong, Taiwan, or the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown, among other politically sensitive topics, are largely absent in China. Journalists have allegedly been harassed, sometimes with violence, and jailed for reporting content that is undesirable or that implicate government officials in corruption. In addition to reporting that…