China Blocks 'Egypt' On Twitter-Like Microblog Sina

China has blocked the word "Egypt" from appearing in searches on its country's popular Twitter-like service, Sina.

A search for "Egypt'' on the microblogging site brings up a message saying, "According to relevant laws, regulations and policies, the search results are not shown."

PCWorld reports that only the Chinese version of 'Egypt' is blocked though, and the English version returns results.

The news comes in light of recent developments in Egypt, which have included a fresh wave of protests, Egyptian Internet being shut down, and growing looting.

Launched in Aug. 2009, Sina has more than 80 million users and is said to be growing rapidly -- adding as many as 10 million users per month.

Due to the success of Twitter, China also launched a state-run microblog in December, which has earned the nickname "Red Twitter."

Comments

[xdr]

04:54 AM on 02/01/2011

It is true that the state media stays very low on anything related with Egypt except that the government has sent in 4 jets to bring their citizen back. But it is not true that either Egypt in English or Chinese is blocked on sina microblog. I was curious enough to try as I'm in China right now and the search came back 15 results. Who else in China can replicate the that silly message? I don't think so. Even though the results might very well have been filtered, including one from formal China Google chief, the blockers are just not that stupid enough to use such an eye glaring message like that, it will simply be replaced with some non-news information.
Sorry Huffpost, do your homework before reposting!

[victorsays]

04:40 PM on 01/31/2011

It is amazing how fast Western proaganda and lies move. A protest about Egypt turns into China. I am sure thousands of American are masturbating about the fall of China and hoping that Chinese people destroy their own country so American can rebalance their checkbook. While in other news more than 88% of Chinese people support their government.

Seriously, American are a bunch of brainwashed idiots. One person wrote an anti-Chinese article and it spreads like wildfire.


How about focus on how US support his dictorial regime in Egypt that the people are protesting against?

[Sacchinftw]

08:45 PM on 01/31/2011

And the day before this little outburst, Egypt's government would have gladly paraded around their 90% approval rating as well.

So do you deny that the Chinese government has censored searches for Egypt?

Better yet, why does the Chinese government feel a need to censor these results? And isn't it horribly inefficient to send out their internet police to comment on articles like this? You have a perfectly huge internet addiction epidemic going on in the country, why not send them out to copy/paste the same talking points you're issued?

[victorsays]

02:07 PM on 02/02/2011

The polls were done by a western polling company. Not Chinese. So suck it.

[megakids]

10:51 PM on 02/02/2011

Let me confirm with you that no such blocks. This report is a shameless display of lies and decent that continually fed to Americans. What a pity to see so many people with low IQ to even believe this. In case you do not know, China is the first country to send so many commercial flights to Egypt to ferry her citizens back to celebrate Lunar New Year, which is today! I live in Shanghai. I am giving you first hand info now!

[Supercruize]

10:43 AM on 01/31/2011

It wont be long.

[mike72]

02:20 AM on 01/31/2011

And US is blacking out Al Jereea TV signals now.

What is the the point?

Sometimes when Mobs are taking control of the world situation, it is not a bad idea to just turne them off.

At this point in history, Mob Democracy and Protesters are burning down societies. Do something or our front yards might be next!

[JPalka]

09:34 AM on 01/31/2011

Do they? I thought only a few states allowed them back then, when they started and this here is kind of a pitch to fame for them, maybe they will get accepted in more states. I may be wrong...

[mike72]

11:35 PM on 01/30/2011

Who is behind the sudden turmoil in Egypt?

[JPalka]

09:35 AM on 01/31/2011

China. They needed a reason to test searching for the word "Egypt"

[bryan broome]

10:19 AM on 01/31/2011

lol

[megakids]

10:52 PM on 02/02/2011

Good question! See the CIA insurgency pattern?

[Blackageddon]

11:23 PM on 01/30/2011

Hmm...perhaps someone doesn't want their people getting any ideas. Ignorance is power if manufactured by the educated and those in control.

[WorkhelpWorkhelp]

08:40 PM on 01/30/2011

geez! slow down me!

Not to like !!!

[WorkhelpWorkhelp]

08:39 PM on 01/30/2011

Not TO lie...
typo death....

[WorkhelpWorkhelp]

08:39 PM on 01/30/2011

I'm beginning not like China politicians.

[mike72]

11:26 PM on 01/30/2011

As if they care about you like or not. :) They don't even care much about what Obama like or not ...

[JBaker]

07:58 PM on 01/30/2011

The censorship by China indicates how nervous their leadership is about their own power position.

It is yet another reminder that the credit card company for the U.S. economy is a Communist dictatorship with zero interest in democracy. I still find it amazing that congress & big business have led us into this weird co-dependency with China during the past 30 years.

[mike72]

11:32 PM on 01/30/2011

The Mass is general irrational. With a small group of people igniting the discontent among the Mass, the whole place can turn into hell in no time.

The question is, who is funding that small group of people doing the instigation?

[Tim Scanlon]

08:30 AM on 01/31/2011

Mike, maybe you should take a breather from the site since you seem to feel the need to reply to every post on this page. Nothing like socialist "I know better than you" mentality to protect the people from themselves. Give me a break.

[bryan broome]

10:21 AM on 01/31/2011

The Tea Party.

[theseusofaustralia]

08:20 AM on 01/31/2011

right and the u.s loves democracy hahaha, oh please.

[aristippe]

06:30 PM on 01/30/2011

I'm read for an alll out boycott on chinese goods.

[mike72]

11:33 PM on 01/30/2011

Go ahead. I don't think Chinese is too excited in getting more printed US Dollar anyway. For heaven's sake, they can not even use it. The printed money is just pump back to US as T-Bill.

[LMPE]

05:59 PM on 01/30/2011

oops

[boilinabag]

05:01 PM on 01/30/2011

as soon as this stuff in egypt started, i said to a friend, that china and iran would start to block communications, twits, and stuff, as this situation is making those regimes very nervous. the youth of iran - a majority, needs to step up and take back democracy there...

[mike72]

11:34 PM on 01/30/2011

I am always curious when US is in turmoil, are you going to have a similar casual conversation with your friedn predicting the same about China and Iran.

[Untitled]

04:25 PM on 01/30/2011

There are ways around this, you know. For example: Egipt, Ejypt, etc. You get the point.

[wslope]

03:45 PM on 01/30/2011

They should not worry. I don't think there will be another Tiananmen Square moment to embarrass them.

[megakids]

11:00 PM on 02/02/2011

You should worry more about another such event in another bankrupt US cities. The Chinese are busy celebrating their Lunar New Year and enjoying 10.3% GDP growth. They are more keen to ferry their tourists (who spends a lot) back via commercial jets. You are such a fool!