DRAFT 2

Social media is one of the greatest inventions in twenty first century. It spreads news, helps people conduct social interactions. One of the significant features of social media is freedom of speech. French thinker Rabindranath Tagore said, I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.

Human is born with freedom of speech right. The freedom of speech allows people speak out the truth. The advent of the era of internet brings ‘breathing space of freedom of speech’ for human, and it promotes people to exercise their freedom of speech right. As internet developing, some social networking with more freedom such as Facebook, Twitter appears in the internet, which shows a bigger scale of freedom of speech. These social networking gives people more chances to speak out their views and discuss policies.

However, nowadays in China most time people have no freedom of speech of what they are thinking about the government. People even have no right to know the real history during twenty century through Chinese websites. The government also blocks some exoteric websites such as Facebook and Google in name of decreasing terrorist activities. In fact, the opinions on these websites is quite open and objectives. So Chinese Government blocks all these in case of threatening their power and image. There is an ironic joke saying go to Diaoyu Island and open the Twitter websites. If it cant be opened, this island belongs to China. This joke deeply shows Chinese government constraints the freedom speech in the internet.

Actually, the problem is caused by Single party System in China, which give no pressure to the party in power. Because of this system in China, the Chinese Communist Party owns the whole power which has no threatening feeling of their dominating power in China, which means Chinese Communist Party is the only political party who owns the government. Chinese people used try to parade asking for changing the policy of China and breaking the One Party System in China. And actually there exists more than three times parades. The final results all end with killing processional people.

The Chinese government used to try to reform from itself. In 1978，Deng Xiaoping put forward the reform and opening-up policy which brings advanced technologies to China such as internet, computer, and it gives people more chances to communicate and express their feeling and ideas. The newspapers and TV channels from that time become diversification. At that time, Southland Times Phoenix TV appears and gives some valuable and critical opinions towards government. That shows the freedom of speech earns a little space to breath. However, only the channels and newspaper are not enough. China should step into an era of all citizens involving and discussing politics.

If there are ways to change this kind of situation and make more progress in freedom of speech, the whole citizens are able to involve in Chinese Politics, which may promote the China development a lot. The freedom of speech can be surely guaranteed.

References:

Chinese politician. (2008)．RENming wang．　Retrieved December 18, 2008，from http://china.huanqiu.com/roll/2008-12/317347.html