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back to article China purges coup rumours from social media

Two of China’s biggest social media companies, Tencent and Sina, have reportedly been punished by the government and forced to temporarily suspend comments on their micro-blogging sites, after the authorities clamped down in response to unsubstantiated online rumours of a coup in Beijing last month. Rumours started to swirl a …

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  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    censorship

    Every country secretly wants to ability to do this.

    Keeps the little people in their place.

    4 0
    1. I think so I am?
      Reply Icon
      Mushroom

      Re: censorship

      Censorship in this form, along with oppression leads to only one end - civil war with lots of death.

      1 0
    2. CD001
      Reply Icon

      Re: censorship

      Every country does this to a greater or lesser extent... the impositions placed by the governments are limited only by what the society is prepared to allow.

      1 0

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  3. Khaptain Silver badge
    Meh

    Could swing both ways.

    As a result of removing the pages, is it not likely that that in itself will cause a new viral campaign ? Ad infinitum.

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  4. oregonensis

    This is interesting. Are the rumors of a coup substantial, or is this the eastern equivalent of "RIP [celebrity of the day]"? I know Bo Xilai was really shaking things up -- sometimes for the better, sometimes in ways frighteningly reminiscent of Mao's days -- and I also know that the outgoing Chinese premier made some cryptic pro-reform remarks after the closing of the congress earlier this year. Also, the I believe it was the vice-president (or someone equally high up) who replaced Mr Bo as Chongqing's mayor after he was sacked. Strange times.

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  5. Version 1.0 Silver badge
    Happy

    It must be true

    I thought this was just another on-line rumor until they started denying it. I wonder if this latest purge will result in more organs becoming available on the international transplant markets?

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  6. Sceptic Tank Silver badge
    Big Brother

    "A further 16 web sites were shut down by the authorities in retaliation for the fabrication or spreading of rumours."

    ... the government does not want competition.

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  7. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    How long before China's media reports a similar story.

    About the UK gov purging the country of people making 'unwanted' posts?

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  8. Graham Marsden
    Alert

    "the spreading of so-called ‘rumours’...

    "...online has been illegal in China"

    And Listening to Rumours is Treasonous, Citizen!

    - Your Friend, The Computer.

    1 0
  9. Qu Dawei
    Mushroom

    Look at China, UK citizens: it is your future unless you start trying to oppose it now! Given the current legislation proposals on snooping of all computer-based communication, it just illustrates that, generally, governments are always into the game of control and increasing their own power at the expense of the ordinary people, which they are supposed to serve.

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