An extraordinary occurrence is happening in China.  Her citizens are probably the most prevalent micro-bloggers in the world.  According too the China Internet Information Centre, there were 63 million micro-bloggers at the end of 2010 - approximately 14% of her 457 million internet users.

Whilst Twitter and Facebook has been banned, Chinese versions have been created such as weibo.com, which is enormously popular - especially with the young.

Whilst the micro-blogging sites are rarely used openly challenge the Communist Party, they are mechanisms to criticise and upset the existing order - including exposing public cover-ups. Micro-blogging was used to publicise information such as the July bullet train crash in Zheijang Province.

Inevitably, the 'authorities' have tried to control micro-blogging, by recently requiring all bloggers to register internet accounts with 'real' identities.  But, even this has been 'mocked' by micro-bloggers.

Censorship of the Internet is increasingly difficult.  Even websites that are banned are possible to access with the right computer software.  The huge power of the Chinese Communist Party is slowly dissipating against the huge power of the Internet.

P.S.  You can read more HERE.

by Robert Halfon - www.roberthalfon.blogspot.com