Comments on: GFC, Youtube, and Futility http://www.gongshangfa.com/uncategorized/gfc-youtube-and-futility/ Industry, Commerce and Law Tue, 01 Nov 2011 21:23:27 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Rhodo Zeb http://www.gongshangfa.com/uncategorized/gfc-youtube-and-futility/#comment-37 Rhodo Zeb Fri, 06 Mar 2009 04:25:12 +0000 http://www.gongshangfa.com/?p=482#comment-37 I do not think it is that simple. First of all, China very much cares about its international standing, so I believe the damage to China's international reputation is relevant. Another issue is basically the tendency of organizations to self-perpetuate and self-rationalize. Hu Jin Tao does not have the luxury, as Obama does (to some extent) to simply remove officials with whom he is ideologically incompatible from the net nanny agency(s), or downgrade the agency(s) themselves. Instead he must build consensus on a change of direction first. Or at least that is my understanding of the process involved. I do not think it is that simple. First of all, China very much cares about its international standing, so I believe the damage to China’s international reputation is relevant.

Another issue is basically the tendency of organizations to self-perpetuate and self-rationalize. Hu Jin Tao does not have the luxury, as Obama does (to some extent) to simply remove officials with whom he is ideologically incompatible from the net nanny agency(s), or downgrade the agency(s) themselves. Instead he must build consensus on a change of direction first. Or at least that is my understanding of the process involved.

]]> By: FOARP http://www.gongshangfa.com/uncategorized/gfc-youtube-and-futility/#comment-36 FOARP Thu, 05 Mar 2009 22:09:13 +0000 http://www.gongshangfa.com/?p=482#comment-36 I guess I should also add that the blocking is only one part of the control mechanism which Jeremy Goldkorn over at Danwei calls 'the net nanny' - that is, the shepherding of the Chinese internet through fake commentary, astro-turfing, talking points, media blitzes etc. Essentially it is what any political party would do if it could gain unlimited power over the internet. I guess I should also add that the blocking is only one part of the control mechanism which Jeremy Goldkorn over at Danwei calls ‘the net nanny’ – that is, the shepherding of the Chinese internet through fake commentary, astro-turfing, talking points, media blitzes etc. Essentially it is what any political party would do if it could gain unlimited power over the internet.

]]> By: FOARP http://www.gongshangfa.com/uncategorized/gfc-youtube-and-futility/#comment-35 FOARP Thu, 05 Mar 2009 22:06:13 +0000 http://www.gongshangfa.com/?p=482#comment-35 Except it is only futile in as much as anyone who is bothered by it is already lost to the CCP cause. Border guards no longer bother to take subversive books away from foreigners - but foreigners are not the target audience for them anyway. The people targeted are those who are not fluent in foreign languages, and who grow up surrounded by media under direct or indirect editorial control from central government - these are the people whose relative ideological purity must be maintained. These are the people who, if asked, will say with a straight face that all Taiwanese want to 'return to the motherland', these are the people who believe that whilst the local government is sub-stellar central government really is working in their interests, these are the people who know only what they have been told and do not seek to access free media because they know already what to expect of it - because they've been told. Except it is only futile in as much as anyone who is bothered by it is already lost to the CCP cause. Border guards no longer bother to take subversive books away from foreigners – but foreigners are not the target audience for them anyway. The people targeted are those who are not fluent in foreign languages, and who grow up surrounded by media under direct or indirect editorial control from central government – these are the people whose relative ideological purity must be maintained. These are the people who, if asked, will say with a straight face that all Taiwanese want to ‘return to the motherland’, these are the people who believe that whilst the local government is sub-stellar central government really is working in their interests, these are the people who know only what they have been told and do not seek to access free media because they know already what to expect of it – because they’ve been told.

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