China Will Allow Uncensored Internet During Olympic Games

By Ben Haber

April 3rd, 2008

By Ben

Officials for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said that media attending the Olympics in Beijing will have access to the outside world.

Reuters reports that the “Media will have access to uncensored Internet and there will be no delay of the television signal at the Beijing Olympic Games.”

As you may recall, China made news a few weeks ago when it blocked YouTube after videos protesting the current affairs in Tibet were posted on the Web site. However, IOC officials have even been told that the entire internet will be accessible to everyone (not just journalists) during the Olympic Games.

InformationWeek’s David Berlind writes, “Never before has the world gotten a better insider’s look at the lengths to which the Chinese government will go to preserve its impositions on freedom…I’ll bet there are government officials in China wishing that they never thought to bring the Olympics to Beijing. Ten years ago, who would have thought that such an intertwining of sports and technology.”

We can only wait to see if China does in fact allow complete access to the internet. Either way, it’s a big step for China, who only recently began to uncensor Wikipedia.

Entry Filed under: Digital media relations, Mainstream media, Technology and Innovation, Web 2.0