Facebook May Adhere to China's Internet Censorship to Enter Country

By Precious Gem de Peralta
Facebook
In Facebook's attempt to get unbanned in China, sources say the tech giant has developed a censorship tool that will adhere to the government's rules. C_osett via Flickr

The Chinese government is very strict and censorship has become their staple. International companies would have to comply with China's conditions otherwise they will be banned from the country. Facebook seems to change its tunes. Apparently, the tech giant may be building a censorship tool. This move might be part of the company's move to further expand its global market.

Internet freedom in China is pretty moot for its people. In fact, the powerful country in East Asia is infamously known for its "The Great Firewall". A recent report by The New York Times revealed that Facebook has covertly developed a software that prevents users in certain places to see posts from their news feeds. This confidential information has been disclosed by current and former Facebook employees. They added that it was actually created to help the company get into the Chinese market. Apparently, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has even supported and defended the said effort.

It's public knowledge that a lot of sites and news platforms are blocked in China. Chinese people are not allowed to search for some topics that the government does not want its citizens to be reading about. There are keywords that will not show in the country's search engine. Facebook would not necessarily do the censorship itself. The New York Times further reports that a third-party in China would actually be the one using that tool.

That local company will ensure that Chinese users will not be able to view content that are against the government's rules. The right to free speech is also an issue in China. Online users who post something against the government face grave consequences. As a social media platform, Facebook becomes a way for people around the world to express their opinions. China sees this as a threat.

It will cost a lot for Facebook to adhere to China's internet censorship. For the company, it will expand its market and earn more ad revenues from billions of Chinese people. The larger the growth of their users, the better it is for Facebook. One asset of Facebook is the user engagement on the social network. However, on the other side, it will just further the abuse of the human's right to free expression. In fact, it will be a clear tolerance. It remains to be seen if Facebook does push through this plan.

The tech company's spokesperson has admitted in a statement to TechCrunch that they are indeed interested in China. Facebook has been "spending time understanding and learning more about the country". But they also mentioned that they "have not made any decision" yet on their approach to China. Though Facebook is "helping Chinese business and developers expand to new markets outside China by using our ad platform".

There is definitely a huge benefit of breaking into the Chinese market but it is not easy. For instance, Apple has been trying to do that with the iPhone. However, Chinese consumers prefer the more affordable smartphones like the Huawei, Xiaomi and Oppo. As far as internet is concerned, Elon Musk has also acknowledged that China is a big hurdle in his goal of global high-speed internet. The reason being the country's censorship.

  • ‘Wang Mingdao’s Diary’ reproduction highlights complexities of contemporary Chinese Christianity

    On December 9, the China Graduate School of Theology (中国神学研究院) hosted a public lecture titled “A Courageous Witness in the Times—Launch of Wang Mingdao (王明道)’s Diary.” The lecture, themed “Faith Patterns in Beijing’s Christian Churches Through the Lens of Wang Mingdao’s Diary,” featured Dr. Ni Buxiao (倪步晓), Associate Director and Assistant Professor at the Christian Faith and Chinese Culture Research Center of Alliance Bible Seminary (建道神学院), as the keynote speaker.

  • Floating library ‘Doulos Hope’ arrives in Taiwan; spreading love and hope from a former cruise ship

    Doulos Hope, the international floating book fair ship, has returned to Taiwan and is now docked at Kaohsiung Port, open to the public from December 18, 2024, to January 12, 2025. Originally built in 1991 and renovated in 2022, the ship features over 2,000 books on various topics, including faith, science, and art. It is operated by a diverse crew of 140 volunteers from 25 countries, offering services such as education, healthcare, and community outreach. The ship's mission is to spread hope and

  • Chinese Online School of Theology publishes annual ministry report: Expanding Chinese theological education through new strategies

    In the 2023-2024 academic year, New York-based Chinese Online School of Theology (COST) has seen significant development in expanding its ministry in theological education and mission outreach. They have promoted a series of new events and projects to explore different strategies that expand theological education for Chinese ministers. The following are some highlights from the 2023-2024 annual report:

  • Dr. Fenggang Yang: How foreign forces transformed traditional Chinese legal systems

    In a recent lecture to Chinese Christians, scholar Dr. Fenggang Yang (杨凤岗) gave an in-depth analysis of the historical evolution and contemporary significance of the modern legal system in Chinese society. He explored the tensions and integrations between traditional law and modern rule of law, highlighting the distinctive characteristics of China’s traditional legal system and emphasizing the role of foreign influences in introducing modern legal practices into Chinese society.

Top Stories