Chinese lift Olympic net restrictions

 

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By Reuters

Posted on 1 Aug 2008 at 13:25

The International Olympic Committee and the Chinese have agreed to lift all internet restrictions for media covering the Beijing Games.

"The issue has been solved," says IOC vice-president Gunilla Lindberg. "The IOC Coordination Commission and BOCOG met last night and agreed. Internet use will be just like in any Olympics."

The issue of internet censorship has caused a major stir in recent days, with the IOC admitting it had struck a deal with the Chinese Government to restrict access to certain sites, despite earlier statements that there would be no censorship.

Although internet access will be free for reporters during the Games, it is still tightly controlled for the rest of the country. Sites related to spiritual movement Falun Gong, and other issues that are frowned on, are regularly blocked.

According to the IOC, the unblocking of sites such as Amnesty International and the BBC's China site is already under way.

"Already we put a team together in the IOC to work with Beijing Organising Committee for the Games to begin to open up sites which we believe are absolutely necessary to comply with non-censored reporting of the Games," says Press Commission chairman Kevan Gosper.

Subversive sites

Gosper says sites which are deemed by the government as subversive would continue to be blocked.

"There will be sites blocked that have to do with pornography or where in the opinion of the national government the sites are subversive or against national interest, and that's normal in most countries in the world."