Surveillance of Skype Messages Found in China

Name: Arwen Chen(49712057)
Reaction Article #2
Date:10/10/2008
From: New York Times

My Reactions:
According to John Markoff in “Surveillance of Skype Messages Found in China,” China was discovered a huge Surveillance system monitoring and archiving certain conversations including politically charged words.

As far as I am concerned, I’ve heard of the China government keeping a watchful eye on her people’s opinions on public affairs, expression of their political views. Therefore, it is no surprise to know this piece of news actually. Judging from the news, we, again, obtain another proof that in the china country people do not have complete freedom in expressing their point of views; instead, they still have been kept under tight surveillance—which is not supposed to exist in a democratic country. As a result, I think it quite pathetic of China to do such a thing.

On the other hand, although The United State has also set some kind of monitoring system, since the outbreak of Sep. 11 attacks, to filter phone calls and Internet communications flowing into and out of the country, her purpose is totally different from China’s. The former purpose is to hunt for evidence of terrorist activity, while the latter one is to suppress ideas, thoughts, to block information transmitted out of China which might do harm to its prestige or violate doctrines of the government of China, so as to control the thinking of her people.

All in all, from the news I just read, I again realize what fake democracy is.(239)