Tag: Censorship

Chinese Censorship Is Quietly Rewriting the Covid-19 Story

Chin@Strategy

Early in 2020, on the same day that a frightening new illness officially got the name Covid-19, a team of scientists from the United States and China released critical data showing how quickly the virus was spreading, and who was dying. The study was cited in health warnings around the world and appeared to be a model of international collaboration in a moment of crisis. Within days, though, the researchers quietly withdrew the paper, which was replaced online by a message telling scientists not to cite it. A few observers…

Screenings of Winnie the Pooh horror film cancelled in Hong Kong

Chin@Strategy

The screening of Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey, a British slasher film due to be released in Hong Kong this week, has been cancelled for technical reasons, movie websites said. Moviematic, which had organised a screening of the film for Tuesday evening, reported the cancellation on its social media pages. Several other websites and media also reported the cancellation of screenings. The movie’s distributor in Hong Kong, VII Pillars Entertainment, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. A ticket-booking link on its Facebook page brought up a message…

China’s ‘rotten girls’ are escaping into erotic fiction about gay men

Chin@Strategy

“The hand around his waist held him tighter, their bodies pressed closer together, and Xie Lian’s struggling hands were firmly folded and crushed against his own chest; unable to move. His lips were still securely sealed, the kiss deepening, and a stream of gentle, chilled air slowly passed through.” A god kisses a ghost king, and a love story, movie deal and KFC sponsorship are born. The kiss appears in the book Heaven Official’s Blessing, a danmei or “boys love” story. Danmei is romantic fiction about men or male beings…

The Toll That Twitter’s Glitches Is Taking on Chinese Activists

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In November, Bao Pu, a veteran human rights activist who was visiting Beijing, posted videos on Twitter of university protests against China’s tough coronavirus lockdown orders. He gained over 10,000 followers in subsequent weeks. But friends and fellow activists soon told him they were having a hard time finding his posts — and even his account — on Twitter. “I was shocked,” said Mr. Bao, who is based in Hong Kong. He said he feared that Twitter was “putting a limit on the influence” that he could have. More than…

China Tries to Play Down Balloon Dispute With Censorship and Memes

Chin@Strategy

On Chinese social media, jokes about the suspected spy balloon have been making the rounds. People quipped that the vessel was a misunderstood attempt at wishing Americans a happy Lantern Festival, the Chinese holiday this past Sunday. Others compared it to a glutinous rice ball, a traditional food eaten during the celebrations. The wisecracking was, in part, what happens on social media anywhere in the world: current events transformed to memes to attract likes and follows. But it also dovetailed with signs of a broader government strategy to downplay an…

Simpsons censored in Hong Kong for mentioning China ‘labour camps’

Chin@Strategy

An episode of the Simpsons that references “forced labour camps” in China has been removed from Disney+ streaming services in Hong Kong. The episode is the second in the long-running US cartoon’s latest season. One Angry Lisa sees Marge buy an interactive training exercise bike, similar to a Peloton bike. On an interactive tour, the guide takes Marge to the Great Wall of China with its wonders of “bitcoin mines, forced labour camps where children make smartphones, and romance”. China’s government has long faced accusations of operating forced labour camps,…

Nanjing massacre: Guardian cables censored by Japanese officials – archive, January 1938

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Outrages in Nanjing: Guardian cable again stopped From our correspondent22 January 1938 Shanghai, 21 JanuaryA second telegram that I tried to send to the Manchester Guardian to-day dealing with outrages by the Japanese military in Nanjing was suppressed by the Japanese authorities. The message was based largely on an outspoken leading article that appeared in to-day’s North China Daily News. As a result of this action I have written to the British Consul-General, Mr Herbert Phillips, in the following terms: This is the second occasion upon which a telegram to…

China announces lunar new year censorship crackdown to silence Covid ‘rumours’

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Chinese cyber authorities have announced an internet censorship crackdown to ensure there are no “gloomy sentiments” caused by pandemic “rumours” during the lunar new year festival. It comes as health forecasting firm Airfinity estimated more than 600,000 people have likely died since zero-Covid restrictions were lifted in December – 10 times more than Chinese authorities have officially declared. The month-long “Spring Festival online improvement” program will target those spreading what authorities deem to be “rumours” about the spread of Covid and patient experiences. The national cyber administration specified “in-depth rectification…

Without a Covid Narrative, China’s Censors Are Not Sure What to Do

Chin@Strategy

Since China dropped its strict “zero Covid” policy, a joke has been making the rounds on social media about the sudden shift. Three men who don’t know each other sit in a prison cell. Each explains why he was arrested:“I opposed Covid testing.”“I supported Covid testing.”“I conducted Covid testing.” The joke has yet to be broadly censored. It is a sign of just how much the Chinese Communist Party, usually a master of messaging, is struggling to come up with a coherent explanation for the policy shift and a clear…

An Alternate Reality: How Russia’s State TV Spins the Ukraine War

Chin@Strategy

Collaboration between the Kremlin and state broadcasters dates back more than two decades, said Mr. Gatov, a former Russian journalist and an expert on state propaganda. Each day, the Kremlin provides a list of talking points for broadcasters. The closely guarded document, known as the “temnik,” is delivered to senior officials at V.G.T.R.K. and other organizations, outlining issues the Kremlin wants covered, positively or negatively, along with views to endorse and people to criticize, said Mr. Gatov, who has seen copies. The Kremlin’s tight control of the media has increased…