History Truly Does Repeat Itself

On July 13th, 2009 the Huffington Post reported that the Chinese government, in reaction to the deadly riots that broke out in Xinjiang, shut down the internet and mobile phone service, blocked Twitter and its Chinese equivalent Fanfou, deleted updates and video from social networking sites, and offered traditional journalists the opportunity to come into the area.

Amazingly, this article proves that history truly does repeat itself. Not only in the case of Iran, but more recently in Egypt, where all technology communication was shut down as tensions rose between the masses and the government.

Huffington has a good point when she says that you don't have to be where the action is to bear witness to what is going on. At the same time, you could be right in the midst of all the action and the turmoil and "fail to bear witness."

There is something to be said for independent and "new technology" media that the government feels threatened enough by their coverage of certain events that they completely and totally destroy their access. Clearly, these independent journalists are pushing the envelope.

The question is, why would China have prevented this new media but allowed in the traditional media?

They thought they could spin the traditional media news.

Earth to China: once something goes online, it is there forever, no matter how hard you try to delete it. The second something goes viral, everyone knows about it. There is no spinning independent media.