Good Grief!

A while back, I blogged about a new Chinese search engine and mentioned some of the odd websites that are blocked in that country. On a more serious note, the BBC online is reporting the latest stats from Amnesty International:

there are now at least 54 people who have been imprisoned for emailing, setting up websites or exchanging pro-democracy messages online - a 60% increase from a year ago - [Amnesty International] said in its latest report on the repression of internet users by the Chinese authorities…In addition, an unknown number of people remained in detention for disseminating information over the internet about the spread of the Sars virus.

In a related story, there is a proposal to increase regulation of internet cafes in Bombay, India. If the law is passed, the following changes would take effect:

• cafe owners would have to get a license
• cafes will be required to have software to screen out pornography and other “unsuitable” content
• cafes will have to ask patrons for names, phone numbers, and addresses

At least in India the cafe owners can fight these proposals without being thrown in jail.

PS It looks like Cuba has postponed plans to limit internet access for Cubans who pay their phone bill in local currency. Cuba says that this restriction is to prevent people from sharing passwords and overloading the infrastructure.