Internet censorship plagues journalists at Olympics

Found on CNet News on Wednesday, 30 July 2008
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Despite earlier assurances that journalists would have unfettered access to the Internet at the Main Press Center and athletic venues, organizers are now backtracking, meaning that the some 5,000 reporters working in Beijing during the next several weeks won't have access to a multitude of sites such as Amnesty International or any site with Tibet in the address, according to an Associated Press report.

IOC members issued a clarification Tuesday, saying that Internet freedom applied only to Web sites related to "Olympic competitions."

When a senior vice president for NBC Sports, which paid about $900 million to broadcast the games, asked organizers last month to lift broadcast and interview restrictions at Tiananmen Square, the response was reportedly clear: "Don't push the issue."

If the IOC had at least one ball left, it would simply cancel the games. But China knows very well that this won't happen and it can lie about everything and break every agreement. After all, freedom and humanity is worth nothing compared to billions of investments. Those games will only reassure the chinese dictatorship that their way is right.