Internet censorship in China falls under a wide variety of laws and regulations. More than sixty Internet regulations have been created by the Chinese government and censorship systems have been implemented by state-owned ISPs, business companies, and organizations.
The government’s effort to censor online material grew quickly after a series of large protests, many of which were organized and publicized using the internet. China not only blocks website content but also monitors the internet access of individuals. As a result of this and strict laws, China has the largest recorded number of imprisoned journalists and other internet users in the world. The individuals are accused of offences including communicating with groups outside of China, opposing the persecution of the Falun Gong, signing online petitions, and calling for reform and an end to corruption in China.
It is estimated that China has an “internet police force” as large as 30,000 people. Their job is to patrol the internet and remove content that is deemed inappropriate by the Chinese government. Objectionable comments appearing on popular internet forums, blogs, or major portals are usually erased within minutes.
