Internet Regulation in Contemporary China Essay

mainland China has continued to experience large difficulty in trying to regulate network subroutine in the orbit, which has continued to contain its package of socio economical implications. The Chinese judicature has an economic environment which is so liberal and the net comes in handy in playing a big role in the development strategy, especi all(prenominal)y in the communication sector. The country is ge bed to use the profits to promote the countrys economic growth by installing travel technological networks to linkup with other markets across the world.The number of profit users has braggy so fast since the strategy was embraced moving to 210 billion in 2007 from 0. 62 million ten years in advance (1997). Furthermore, the country has 1. 5 million websites and is currently the worlds number two in network use (Zhao, p. 37). With this fact, it has become a tribeal concern to stayraint the use of internet technology due to the numerous challenges that play al ong it, especially its tack on the political and mixer arena. The country is indeed focused on drawing up rules and regulations to conceal internet use to help relievooration the negative sequelant effects.This paper get out look at the locomote that the Chinese authorities is taking in trying to regulate the internet use, the outcome of the strategy and how the steps are perceived by its prop wholenessnts and opponents alike. internet Regulation in Contemporary China China put in place the first set of internet regulations in 1996 and continued to update the rules in the other subsequent years, the laws were amended to mystify tighter internet vex and give the governance more control over its use.It was discovered that by dint of the internet, scamming activities, rumor mongering, defamation, incitements and other cyber criminal activities were becoming more prevalent. The legislation of the laws was in that locationfore meant to administer controls and minimize the effects of this misuse which was compromising economic growth. China has established twelve agencies charged with the barter of censuring the internet some of these involve the State Secrecy Bureau (SSB), Central Propaganda Department (CPD), State judicature of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT), The Judiciary and GAPP (General Administration of Press and Publication).The steps that the judicature has taken to regulate the internet use have managed to achieve a compromise point (though not very st adequate) between giving the nation economic boost and at the same clip shield it from denigrative influences on the society. There is however some tension in effecting these policies as it involves being more pragmatic and administer restrictions over the news media curtailing emancipation of speech. (Zhao, p. 37). Too much censorship of the internet has its share of socioeconomic implications and subaltern of it might present quite a challenge that may result to uncalled for str ive.Topping the agencys list in regulating internet content are the SCIO (State Council Information Office) and MII (Ministry of Information Industry). These organizations are charged with the duty of restricting the very operations of domestic websites. Any indication of viable flouting of the regulations and legal requirements on the expected conduct of website owners is met with severe penalties ranging from imposition of fines up to total ban. Websites that target politicians and other historical figurers in China had earlier faced such bans, this also include those that would be classified as extreme satire.Through the help of SARFT, the Chinese governance has put in place regulations to monitor the content of online videos before they are authorized for discontinue to the public (Zhao, p. 38). This bear upon is merely a part of the wider campaign to control the internet content and it has gone a long way in sieving internet content. Positive effects that made internet adv ocates push for curb restrictions include and not limited to, public enlightenment with worldly knowledge and the comical part because of its help to ease work pressure.In 2004, SARFT enter a regulation which held it that before any network developer commenced on the subject of his/her content, the firm must receive an official network license in audio and video form to allowing it send its programs to the internet (Zhao, p. 39). But patronage the restrictions that the Chinese political relation has placed on the internet use, a consentient internet control is far from being achieved. The internet culture presents a scenario that is very difficult to deal with due to its complex nature.The number of internet users in China is so massive such that the political science finds it unwarrantable to monitor either nurture in ply and out menstruate across the net. another(prenominal) problem comes in because of the lack of universal laws governing global internet use. Chinese inte rnet regulatory rules can not be utilise across the boarders and therefore some contents which are considered illegal in China might find their way into the country, yet China has no control over the move (Zhao, p. 40). This therefore calls for international jurisdiction to hold in to internet information flow.Absence of such regulations makes it practically impossible to make the local law effective, hence overrules every decision made on internet content control. Finally, the pace by which the world is gaining control and convergency of technology is so fast such that the Chinese government is determination it close to impossible to revise its regulations to keep pace with such developments. The government of China has redesigned the structure of the media in such a way that it acts just like an integral part of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party).The CCP therefore uses the media to run their snobby affairs like organizing programs, giving directives and implementing their poli cies. The regulations also call for adherence of the partys principles and codes of conduct and their press policies. The government has changed the operating principles of the media using the internet regulatory steps to such an extent that the media has now been hijacked and revolutionized into what can be seen as a government cheerleader and mouthpiece used in social modernization and as an instrument to spearhead economic development agendas (Zhao, p. 40).The government is so much focused in making the entire media sedulousness in the country managed according to the principles of the party leadership. The Chinese government is so focused in tightening the rules on the internet use and this move is seen as denying the press the freedom of expression and at the same time locking out the public from enjoying the unspoiled of information. These two are meant to be fundamental human rights in any democratic nation. But the Chinese government claims that giving the public unlimite d freedom to express every opinion they have will result to political and social instability.Since the internet has sources emanating from every corner of the world, it offers opportunities for individuals to express their feelings and opinions on every topic without upkeep of intimidation. The internet has literally no restrictions on the content that can be accessed by any interested party and owing to its complex nature, one can not stop but wander if the Chinese government will ever be successful in gagging the media and barring the flow of information across the internet.It is elusive to believe that the nation has even the faintest fancy of someday being in full control of the content of information leaving and accessing the country. The proliferation and the hi-tech technology that the internet comes with, presents the public with an opportunity to share their opinion with the wider world across the boardersthe Chinese has an up-hill task if it thinks it will solely and s ingle handedly manipulate information flow. Chinese government policies makers have for that modestness remained proactive due to the complex architectural landscape that the internet is creating (Zhao, p. 41). The government security forces are turning information service providers into detectives, by directional them to filter out any information that they feel is undesirable before it leaks to the public. The government despite its efforts has achieved little, the Chinese community despite the sanctions is still get access to cyber discussions and making their opinions be known world over without obtaining the governments nod.This shows how impossible it is to crackdown on online access. While proponents of free information flow are drumming support for the unlimited use of the internet, stating that every someone should not be barred from seeking to know anything he or she desires there are a lot of social and economic tensions that accompany liberalization and decentralizat ion of the internet. That is why the government has relentlessly focused in controlling the internet and sifting its contents before it reaches the public.Striking a balance between content control and being flexible is hard and imperative, there are continuous adjustments in the internet and the rules therefore assume to be equally adjusted if the nation wants to keep pace with the dynamics of the internet. All having been said and done, many people hold a prevalent feeling that the internet with its advantages and disadvantages should not be treated as if they are social and political defects which need to be fixed to stabilize a nation, but instead every nation China included, should appreciate the benefits that nudity bring.With an open society individuals are able to express their appreciation, gratitude, un-satisfaction and displeasure to the state, all which are healthy for and recipe for innovation as well as economic development and political freedom. Conclusion From the facts presented in this paper, it has been established that there are conflicting interests on what should be done with the increasing scale of internet use. While it is vital to harmonize globalization effect with the rest of the world, it is the hub of rumor mongering and a platform to spread hate messages that can in turn result to acrimonious activities.It is therefore logical to find a compromise point between these two extremities and address the issue amicable. loaded rules on the internet amounts to denial of the freedom of speech and right of information. It is genuine that control should be administered on the internet content, because of numerous cases of cyber crime that goes unseen online. Several sites that bring ill mannered individuals together with an intention of do harm to others are present online.Therefore, the Chinese government is just right by drawing some rules to guide this cause. The fault of the security forces and the government officials is in cas es where they are trying to revolutionize media into their own mouthpiece. The media should be left wing to operate independently with only stated principles to follow. Since China is not able to counter the negative effects of the internet wholly, all the other countries have to be brought on board so that universal rules can be drawn to regulate internet use worldwide.If this is done, websites with offensive contents will never find place anywhere in any country as the rules will be applicable to each nation monarch or not. If the universal laws are adopted, China will never again lock out its citizens from enjoying internet services without limits and for that effect the burden to control internet content will not be left alone to China as a nation but will rest on every nation. China will therefore develop into a more open marketed nation and on human rights, it will be regard as more democratic as before.