….And the ban hammer has been dropped! China’s Central Military Commission has just announced a list of “70 forbiddens” to “strengthen and improve ideology among armed service men and to further standardize honest behavior within the military” This list isn’t just for military personnel though, party cadres and government officials are also being urged (forced?) to develop a “clean and honest” government using these “70 forbiddens” as guidelines. more ›

Isn't it interesting that, despite what the central government might say, most Chinese people think that access to the internet is a fundamental right? Then again, just because it's a right doesn't mean it should be totally unregulated - Chinese were some of the least likely to agree that "Internet should never be regulated by any level of government anywhere." Of course, Nigeria was one of the top countries who believed it shouldn't be touched and judging by my yahoo inbox, they could use a little more touching. more ›

After being accused two weeks ago by Google of perpetrating cyber attacks on two personal gmail accounts and at least 20 corporate companies, China is now lashing out at the United States and calling itself the "biggest victim." more ›

"As I speak to you today, government censors somewhere are working furiously to erase my words from the records of history." more ›

• Says James Fallows, even if Google decides to remain in China, they are not "vacillating cowards" - there's a chance for a win-win-win outcome here and the ongoing talks seem like maybe, just maybe it'll actually happen. [The Atlantic]
• Richard Burger agrees, and adds this poignant quote from people who've left China long enough to know how much the government doesn't trust them: "I love my country, but my country doesn't love me." [Peking Duck]
• The U.S. has had multiple meetings with Chinese authorities over internet freedom, which it views as an "universal right that should be available to all people." [Reuters]