GagWatch

Reuters (via) is reporting that the Chinese authorities appear to have lifted their block on the English language version of Wikipedia. Politically sensitive topics such as Tibet and Tiananmen Square are, however, still off limits.

Internet users in Beijing and Shanghai confirmed on Saturday that they could access the English-language version of one of the world’s most popular websites, but the Chinese language version was still restricted.

The move comes after International Olympic Committee (IOC) inspectors told Beijing organisers that the Internet must be open for the duration of the 2008 Olympics and that blocking it “would reflect very poorly” on the host country.

It will be interesting to see how quickly the walls go up once the Olympics are over.

BBC staff working in China are reporting that – after years of being blocked - they are able to access stories on the BBC news website.

Although Beijing has never admitted to blocking access to BBC news stories it has been the case for nearly a decade that the only way for people in China to reach the site was by using a proxy server based outside of the country.

There has been no official confirmation that the website has been unblocked but statistics show that traffic to the website from China has been much higher than usual.

The Chinese authorities had promised to give foreign journalists more freedom in the run-up to this summer’s Olympic Games.

But analysts say that recent outbreaks of unrest in Tibet have made this promise more difficult for Beijing to uphold.

The BBC and other media organisations still find reporting from Tibet very difficult - foreign journalists were refused permission to enter the region during the recent protests.

So, is this a genuine loosening of web censorship in China or just a temporary PR move in the run up to the Olympics?

Update

China Forums (via) suggest the site is now available across most of the country. Other sites including the Guardian are also now available, but Wikipedia and YouTube are still blocked.

Following the recent unrest in Tibet, Chinese authorities have banned (via) 25 websites, from providing audio and video services and issued warnings to a further 32.

They were punished for broadcasting obscene, fear-inspiring or violent content or programs that might endanger national security and interests, or for offering such services without the required qualifications or certificates, the circular said.

The cases of five others, which had no qualifications to provide audio and video services on-line but still did so, were transferred to telecommunications authorities.

Lust, Caution star Tang Wei has been banned (via) in the Chinese media because of the sexual nature of her performance in the Ang Lee Film.

An internal memo from China’s State Administration of Radio Film and Television was allegedly sent to all television stations and print media in China on Thursday night, stating that a new television commercial starring Tang for skin care brand Pond’s was to cease broadcast immediately. All print ads and feature content using the actress also were to be pulled. The memo gave no reason for the ban.

n a statement dated March 7, titled “Reassertion of Censorship Guidelines,” SARFT said that on Monday it informed all major film and broadcast entities and governing bodies that it was renewing prohibitions on “lewd and pornographic content” and content that “show promiscuous acts, rape, prostitution, sexual intercourse, sexual perversity, masturbation and male/female sexual organs and other private parts.” However, the public notice, posted on SARFT’s Web site, did not specifically mention “Lust” or Tang.

In addition, all awards shows in China were advised to exclude Tang and the producers of “Lust, Caution” from their list of guests, while discussions about the film and Tang on online forums were deleted, Hong Kong newspaper Oriental Daily reported.

The ban comes during the annual meeting of China’s highest legislative body, the National People’s Congress, in Beijing. SARFT reportedly was singled out in the censure at the congress for permitting the film to be released in China last year after cuts totalling 30 minutes.

As part of an intensified crackdown ahead of the Beijing Olympics, Chinese censors have banned horror films (via).

Producers have been given three weeks to go through their archives and report any content including wronged spirits and violent ghosts, monsters, demons, and other inhuman portrayals, strange and supernatural storytelling for the sole purpose of seeking terror and horror.”

The new regulations – which follow a recent clampdown on “vulgar” video and audio content – suggest that China is keen to step up its control of the cultural arena ahead of the games in August.

Apparently paranoid about their image being tarnished by foreign films, Chinese authorities have blocked (via) the shooting of Mikael Håfström’s Shanghai. Sources close to the film say that seven other co-productions may have been blocked, but that has not been confirmed.

“We wouldn’t have spent millions of kronor (hundreds of thousands of dollars) in this country over the past six months if we hadn’t been completely sure we would receive a permit,” Hafstrom said. “This obviously comes as a shock to all of us. We don’t know exactly why we have been turned down.”

While The Weinstein Company is hoping for a reversal of the decision, Håfström has said that shooting is now headed for Hong Kong. The film is likely to use the new Shaw Studios for studio work and locations in Hong Kong and Macau for other exteriors.

Much has been said about the fact that Google and Yahoo! censor their Chinese search results. The companies argue that they are acting in accordance with Chinese law and the conditions of doing business in China. Others criticise them for willing to collaborate with state censorship in pursuit of market share.

Now Guo Quan, an expert on classical Chinese literature and the 1937 Nanjing massacre of Chinese civilians by Japanese troops, is planning to sue (via) Google after he discovered that his name had been excised in searches of its google.cn portal in China.

Mr Guo did not mince words in his open letter. “To make money, Google has become a servile Pekinese dog wagging its tail at the heels of the Chinese communists,” he wrote.

Mr Guo is unable to sue Google or Yahoo! in China since they have no formal legal identity, but is planning to press his lawsuits against the parent companies in the United States.

According to the BBC (via), Citroen has withdrawn an ad featuring a doctored portrait of former Chinese leader Mao Zedong, after complaints from Chinese chatroom users.

In the ad, carried in Spanish newspaper El Pais, Mao scowls at a hatchback.

“It’s true, we are leaders, but at Citroen the revolution never stops,” reads the text below the portrait.

Another writer pointed out that other national leaders - such as US President George W Bush - had also been made fun of in the media.

“But our traditions and customs must nonetheless be respected,” the writer added.

As a result, Citroen pulled the ad and regretted any “displeasure” caused. But that still leaves one question: Why should a French company, advertising in a Spanish newspaper, be expected to “respect” a Chinese leader any more than they respect any other leader?

Chinese authorities have announced yet another censorship crackdown. The target this time is online video websites such as YouTube.

Under the new regulations that will be in place starting January 31, sites that provide video programming or allow users to upload video must have a permit and be either state-owned or state-controlled. Permits for video hosting sites will be subject to renewal every three years and operators who commit violations may be banned for up to 5 years.

Although most of the videos targetted are already covered by other censorship restrictions, the new regulations will sprecifically ban videos that involve national secrets, hurt the reputation of China, disrupt social stability or promote pornography. Providers will be obliged to delete any offending content and report each incident to the state.

The Chinese State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT) have banned (via) makers of erotic films from competing for any film awards. They are also prohibiting directors and leading actors from taking part in any awards. Not entirely surprisingly, SARFT’s definition of what is an erotic film is pretty broad.

The SARFT asked nationwide studios not to produce films with footage of hardcore activities, rape, whoring, obscene sex exposing human genitals, or sex freaks, the newspaper said. Vulgar conversations, nasty songs and sound effects with sexual connotation were also restricted.

The organisation has warned studios and local regulators that they “bear their own responsibility in correcting the wrong deeds of producing erotic movies. Violating studios might face the harshest punishment of revoking permits for shooting films”. The maximum penalty for violating the ban is a five-year ban from the film industry.