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