Silencing Dissent

This is horrible! It's censorship, it's a violation of the free press! They're using propaganda and rhetoric to silence defense! Bushitler and his thugs, under the guise of the evil Halliburton corporation must be sto-... Wait, it's happening in China!?

BEIJING — China said Sunday it is imposing new regulations to control content on its news Web sites and will allow the posting of only "healthy and civilized" news.

The move is part of China's ongoing efforts to police the country's 100-million Internet population. Only the United States, with 135 million users, has more.

The new rules take effect immediately and will "standardize the management of news and information" in the country, the official Xinhua News Agency said Sunday.

Sites should only post news on current events and politics, according to the new regulations issued by the Ministry of Information Industry and China's cabinet, the State Council. The subjects that would be acceptable under those categories was not clear.

Only "healthy and civilized news and information that is beneficial to the improvement of the quality of the nation, beneficial to its economic development and conducive to social progress" will be allowed, Xinhua said.

It always amazes me how hippies will claim that President Bush is "silencing dissent", or that "we're going in the direction of people being jailed for speaking out", but the same people pretty much ignore when it actually happens in places like China. Absolutely ridiculous.