Today on the net: China tightens its grip on social networkers. Ben Affleck is cast as Batman, and Bat-fans are not happy. And Céline Dion makes her Twitter debut.
China tightens its grip on web users
The news has been let with widespread commentary on social media platforms in China. The Beijing Police Department posted a message online on Sunday saying businessman, and one of the country’s most prominent bloggers Charles Xue, had been arrested on suspicion of soliciting prostitution.
With over 12 million followers on China’s Twitter equivalent Sina Weibo, the billionaire, who lives in China but is a naturalized American citizen, is known for speaking his mind on social issues, including child trafficking. Many web users are wondering if the 60-year-old has been set up by the government in a bid to stifle his online commentary.
The Chinese authorities are indeed in the midst of stepping up their control over the Internet and in particular curbing online rumours, a crackdown that has seen the arrests of several bloggers and journalists in recent days.
Reporter Liu Hu was detained last Friday, after calling for an investigation into the former vice-mayor of Chongqing, the city ran by Bo Xilai, the ex-Communist Party chief whose much publicized trial has just ended.
Blogger Zhou Lubao was arrested for what the authorities described as "spreading online rumours". The cyber activist helped expose a Chinese official for corruption last year by posting photos of his array of luxury watches online; a scandal that led to an official enquiry.
Internet loses it over Ben Affleck as Batman
It’s official. Warner Bros has chosen American actor and director Be... Go on reading on our web site.
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