Olympic Security and the Media

Two city buses exploded Monday morning in southwest China during the rush hour. The authorities think they can tamp down on such violent protest during the Olympics, but they've got another thing coming.

Even with a staggering 100,000 police officers deployed on the streets to keep order for the Games (that's twice the size of NYC's police force, twice the size of the Italian standing army!) -- they won't be able to prevent every single act of civil disobedience and violence.

Nor will they be able to choreograph the media coverage of these events. Much to NBC's chagrin, the Chinese authorities are curtailing the hours when press can film in Tiananmen Square, and they'll try to censor the dominant television narrative. But they won't be able to prohibit 24/7 coverage via the Internet of protests as they happen on the ground.

As the authorities learned from the Sichuan earthquake, sometimes the public's need for information can supersede the government's ability to control it. Information cascades across digital networks like water flowing over a dyke. Sticking fingers in that dyke can't stop the flow.

Hopefully, the inevitable bad press coverage will lead to greater openness and more press freedom, not less. Regardless, the authorities are in for a rude awakening.

Read more HuffPost coverage of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games

Comments

[OgreDaddy]

I'm sure there will be delays in place on live coverage, but how on earth does the Chinese government think they are going to control people who are used to speaking their mind?

I'm mean come on folks, Joe Six Pack is not going to stand for some Chinese rent-a-cop telling him he can't speak his mind or wear a t-shirt saying Boycott Chinese Goods :-)

It wasn't that long ago when protests on the medal award platform made history and there's really nothing stopping it from happening this time either.

Should be interesting, that's for sure.

[emerywood]

I don't think they are trying to prevent every single act of civil disobience. That would be impossible in a country of 1.3 billion people. In fact, civil disobience in the country side is probably happening everyday. However, I think they do want to prevent the Western press from making a big deal out of every little protest or disobedience with their already biased opinion on China. Take the time limit on filming Tienamen Square, for instance, who knows for how many different reasons such rules are needed ? But, the insinuation and interpretation of such restrictions could be wide-open and totally unwarranted. The foreign coverage and " misinfornaiton " is more of a problem to them than any civil disobedience.

[MagisterLudi]

So the reason Olympic Zgames are held is not enjoy the best sporting event of the planet, but to look out for a few lost souls running around the Beijing trying to disrupt the Games. Silly me. So much for Olympic spirit.

[UnknownSoldier]

Like no mention of Blacks being banned from Drinking Bars during the Olympics

[MagisterLudi]

Let's also not mention the Internet rumors that some distribute with abandon.