China Will Censor the Internet During Olympics

Of course, they waited until right before the Games started to make this announcement:

China will censor the Internet used by foreign media during the Olympics, an organising committee official confirmed Wednesday, reversing a pledge to offer complete media freedom at the games.

"During the Olympic Games we will provide sufficient access to the Internet for reporters," said Sun Weide, spokesman for the organising committee.

He confirmed, however, that journalists would not be able to access information or websites connected to the Falungong spiritual movement which is banned in China.
Other sites were also unavailable to journalists, he said, without specifying which ones.

If they can't get Drudge how will they know what to write about? And what about outgoing media reports? Will they be censored too?

Journalists aren't the only ones who will get the attention of the Chinese:

Sen. Sam Brownback has charged that China is preparing a spy attack on visitors to the Olympics Games when they begin on August 8.

The Kansas Republican on Tuesday told reporters from The Hill newspaper and other media outlets that China has “carefully plotted to take advantage of the situation of having thousands of foreign visitors on its soil” and “set up a system to be able to spy and gather information about each and every guest at hotels where Olympic visitors are located.”

Brownback said China’s targets will include journalists, athletes’ families, and human rights advocates, The Hill reports.

He disclosed that his office had been contacted by attorneys for international hotel chains who said the Chinese Public Security Bureau (PSB) told foreign-owned hotels to install Internet monitoring equipment.

“These measures are designed to assist the PSB to spy on the Internet activities of guests and record Web sites visited, searches entered and even keystrokes,” Brownback said.

“The text alludes to harsh punishment for failure to comply with the order, including loss of license to operate a hotel in China.”

You know there will be listening devices in the rooms. Better to hear the coughing fits from the tourists who have been out in the smog all day.