Monday, 28 of April of 2014
Xi Jinping's government ordered the removal of four American series from Chinese websites amid intense repression of freedom of expression online and stricter regulation of the dissemination of audiovisual content on the Internet..
Photo: Gobierno condena "efectos negativos" from the Internet, As online TV gains popularity in China. (AP)
(Reuters).- There can be no freedom on the Internet without order, said the main newspaper of the Communist Party of China, after the government ordered the removal of some US television series from Chinese video sites last weekend.
The Big Bang Theory, The Practice, The Good Wife y NCIS They are popular shows and it was not clear why these particular shows had been pulled. Searches on Youku Tudou, Tencent's Sohu, What these series offer, they were throwing messages that the content was temporarily unavailable.
The removal of the programs coincides with a broad crackdown on free speech online that has intensified since President Xi Jinping came to power last year., which sparked criticism from human rights defenders.
The authorities also reinforced their battle against pornography last week, revoking some online publishing licenses from a major Chinese Internet firm, Theirs, for allowing “lewd and pornographic” content.
“Although ordinary people and governments have enjoyed the advantages of the Internet, “In return, they have experienced the negative effects and hidden security dangers of the Internet.”, noted People's Daily, the main voice of the Communist Party, in an article signed by “Zhong Sheng”, What does “The Voice of China” mean?.
“If you don't have order on the Internet, ¿how can there be freedom on the internet? Anyone who enjoys and exercises their rights and freedoms on the Internet must not harm the public interest and must not violate the rules, regulations and public ethics”, said the newspaper.
Although some believe that this act of censorship is an isolated case, others point out that it is part of a package of repressive actions, taking into account the directive of the State Press Administration, Publication, Radio, Cinema and Television (SARFT) to tighten the process of disseminating television programs and short films online.
Programs and movies that do not have a license cannot be shown on the Internet, according to SARFT. Among the penalties, there is a warning, a fine and, in serious cases, a five-year ban on operations and investment in online programming.
But there is no specific regulation for foreign television programs licensed by Chinese websites., said a person who works at an online video site, adding that regulation was expected at some point, but with minimal impact for the industry.
China's online video market valued at US$ 2,050 millions in 2013, according to China iResearch. That market is expected to triple by 2017.
