Boxun was founded in 2000, most of the breaking news of Boxun is from citizen journalists . Since 2000, thousands of people in China have written or submitted news for Boxun. From the news release, especially from RSF and CPJ, you may know that a number of people in China arrested or charged because of submitting articles to Boxun. From my eight plus years experience, I observe the Internet's impact on China and many limits in China.
Impact
Citizen journalism: Advantages in China
Media control has been broken:
It is much easier for government to control traditional media as described by previous speakers yesterday. With Internet, people can give and receive information so easily. Many individuals are able to broadcast news through BBS, blog and news service such as Boxun. In the example of Boxun, it releases broken news (important or not so important) every day, with more and more pictures and videos. Many incidents are now exposed on Internet first, then the official news release follows. Such as SARS, Bird flu etc.
Under the pressure of Internet, official media is trying to cover more topics than before.
With Internet, Governments are better informed about the truth and what people think. So Internet is playing an important role in affecting policy making of both Chinese and foreign governments. Chinese government has a system of internal news letters - Nei Can, for different levels of officials, some are for the top leaders. Internet is becoming an important source of this type of news letters. I do not think governments will sacrifice its own interest to benefit its people voluntarily, media is one of the forces people can use to balance the power. Internet is becoming the people's power in China, which push China make improvements.
Two weeks ago, when I applied the visa to this conference in Washington DC, I met officials of Congressional-Executive Commission on China. They told me that they are reading Internet information about China closely, especially on Boxun.
I am sure Internet has also become a major information source for NGOs, such as RSF, CPJ and Human Rights in China etc. The NGOs then take actions to affect policy makers.
Limits
We all use the term "Internet", technically, China does not have Internet. As all Internet traffics are behind the most complicated firewall, it is Intranet, similar to a company's internal network. Greg has done excellent analysis on this, I will add a little on this in a less technical way.
1. Firewall - contents are filtered (web contents, MSN chatting, emails)
2. Web sites attacked outside China, shutdown in China: last year, Boxun's received DDOS attack, blogs deleted by hacker. Boxun's video site was hacked this month. Last months, over 60 videos sharing sites closed.
3. Virus targeted to dissidents: Faked virus email about this conference...
4. User's computer monitored (Net Caf��, home PC in China and outside China)
5. Email account safety: Users' private information, account's password.
6. Punishing...
Virus, spying and requesting users' information from Internet service providers such as Yahoo, the main reason to do so, is to find who did what. The other limit is the safety of Internet users in China.
For example, a few reporters were sentenced by using evidences provided by Yahoo, including Shi Tao and Wang Xiaoning.
Among the arrested Internet users, a number of them written or reporting for Boxun, here are a few confirmed reporters arrested, there are more un-confirmed and many others threatened.
Conclusion
The example of Boxun shows that Internet has created opportunities for people to express themselves in China. Even though there are so many limits in China, there are more potentials to be explored down the road. It may create China's path to democracy.
