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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/nov/23/china-blocks-debate-about-downfall-of-internet-censor-lu-wei
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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| China blocks debate about downfall of internet censor Lu Wei | China blocks debate about downfall of internet censor Lu Wei |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| China has moved to censor discussion of its censor-in-chief’s censure, apparently fearful the country’s 750 million internet users might use his downfall to assail the Communist party’s draconian online controls. | China has moved to censor discussion of its censor-in-chief’s censure, apparently fearful the country’s 750 million internet users might use his downfall to assail the Communist party’s draconian online controls. |
| One week after China was re-crowned the world’s worst contravener of internet freedoms, a leaked censorship directive indicated online publishers had received orders to extinguish debate over the toppling of former internet tsar Lu Wei. | One week after China was re-crowned the world’s worst contravener of internet freedoms, a leaked censorship directive indicated online publishers had received orders to extinguish debate over the toppling of former internet tsar Lu Wei. |
| On Tuesday it emerged that Lu, who ran China’s cyberspace administration from 2014 until last year, had fallen victim to Xi Jinping’s high-profile war on corruption. | On Tuesday it emerged that Lu, who ran China’s cyberspace administration from 2014 until last year, had fallen victim to Xi Jinping’s high-profile war on corruption. |
| The directive, dated 22 November, said: “Please close comments on websites, WeChat public accounts, Weibo etc.” | The directive, dated 22 November, said: “Please close comments on websites, WeChat public accounts, Weibo etc.” |
| “Find and delete negative comments attacking the system, and so on,” the order, which was obtained by the China Digital Times project, added. | “Find and delete negative comments attacking the system, and so on,” the order, which was obtained by the China Digital Times project, added. |
| Attempts to post comments on stories about Lu’s demise suggested the leaked directive was genuine. | Attempts to post comments on stories about Lu’s demise suggested the leaked directive was genuine. |
| When the Guardian tried to post a comment beneath a story about Lu by the magazine Caijing on Weibo, China’s Twitter, the following message appeared: “Sorry, the content has breached relevant laws and regulations. It cannot be published.” | When the Guardian tried to post a comment beneath a story about Lu by the magazine Caijing on Weibo, China’s Twitter, the following message appeared: “Sorry, the content has breached relevant laws and regulations. It cannot be published.” |
| It was also impossible to weigh in on stories posted by outlets including ifeng.com, Caixin and Sina. | It was also impossible to weigh in on stories posted by outlets including ifeng.com, Caixin and Sina. |
| Party-run news groups including the Global Times, the People’s Daily, CCTV and Xinhua News had not opened below the line comments on similar articles. | Party-run news groups including the Global Times, the People’s Daily, CCTV and Xinhua News had not opened below the line comments on similar articles. |
| The censorship order is far from the first time Beijing has tried to stifle discussion of how it stifles discussion. | The censorship order is far from the first time Beijing has tried to stifle discussion of how it stifles discussion. |
| In August, censors purged a Weibo post in which Cambridge University announced its decision to resist against Chinese attempts to force one of its journals to block politically sensitive articles. | In August, censors purged a Weibo post in which Cambridge University announced its decision to resist against Chinese attempts to force one of its journals to block politically sensitive articles. |
| Lu Wei had also sought to defend and conceal China’s censoring of foreign social media sites such as Facebook. “I have never used any of these websites so I don’t know if they have been shut down,” he claimed in 2014. | Lu Wei had also sought to defend and conceal China’s censoring of foreign social media sites such as Facebook. “I have never used any of these websites so I don’t know if they have been shut down,” he claimed in 2014. |
| Additional reporting by Wang Zhen | Additional reporting by Wang Zhen |
| China | China |
| Internet | Internet |
| Privacy | Privacy |
| Asia Pacific | Asia Pacific |
| news | news |
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