What the Chinese Think about Censorship
Mon, 08/13/2007 - 17:39 — LD
Two organizations based in the United States released the results of an online survey they did jointly of Internet users inside China. Edoors.com, a Chinese language portal site, and Qingxin, a Chinese language online message board, jointly conducted the survey from June 27 to July 28, 2007, on Internet censorship and circumvention among Internet users inside China. 94% of those surveyed know that the authorities routinely censor information generally available to the people in China. 94% believe that China is implementing Internet filtering and censorship out of fear of losing control once its citizens have access to the truth. [1]
A total of 1,702 Internet users completed the 42-question survey.
94% of those surveyed are inside China.
55% are between 30 and 49 years of age, while 33% are between 19 and 29.
77.9% go online from home.
Most go online for the news (78%) and to conduct searches (75.4).
66.16% spend most of the time online on overseas websites.
61.39% are interested in news both in and outside of China.
Most believe that overseas news about China is more accurate and would like to see more. Over 87.9% responded that overseas news is more objective, with different viewpoints, the reports are more profound and can touch the core of issues. Only 1.76% believe that news in China is accurate
What attracts these Internet users to the overseas websites is that they can get information that is either omitted or distorted in China. They want to learn about high profile incidents that occur in China but are not reported in China, such as the June 4 Tiananmen massacre.
Those surveyed indicate that they trust information from Epoch Times (71.21%), Voice of American (44/64%), Edoors.com (33.49%) and Radio Free Asia (33.25%). Only 6.8% trust People＇s Daily.
94% of those surveyed know that information generally available to people in China is censored.
94% believe that China is implementing Internet filtering and censorship out of fear of losing control, once its citizens have access to truth.
79.2% say that they strongly disagree with China＇s Internet censorship and hope to break through it via some simple technical solution of their own. 74%% cited China＇s use of Internet police as a general practice in conducting Internet censorship.
While those surveyed are tech savvy and use anti-blockage software to access overseas websites, 72% remain concerned about their own safety.
96.3% have heard of anti-web-blocking software specifically used to break the Internet blockade. 59.81% said, "Great stuff. I will definitely give it to others as gifts."
64.98% believe that Falun Gong practitioners invented the anti-web blocking software that is popular among Chinese Internet users.
69.8% use anti-web-blocking software almost every day.
Both Edoors.com and Qingxin are dedicated to freedom of information for Internet users in China. Edoors.com provides Internet censorship circumvention solutions while Qingxin maintains a secure community based user forum.
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