New MySpace China Tells Users to Spy on Each Other

Anonymous Chinese Coward writes "MySpace has launched in China, the world's most populous nation, but this definitely is NOT the MySpace you're used to. Members are told to click a button to report any 'misconduct' by other users. MySpace's definition of 'misconduct' includes actions such as 'endangering national security, leaking state secrets, subverting the government, undermining national unity, spreading rumors or disturbing the social order' — according to the site's terms and conditions. In China these are all crimes which carry a hefty prison sentence. Any attempt to post content containing phrases that the Chinese government doesn't like, such as 'Taiwanese independence', the banned 'FaLun' religious movement or the Dalai Lama, produces the following message. 'Sorry, the article you want to publish may contain inappropriate content. Please delete the unsuitable content, and then try reposting it. Thank you.'"

Re:On which country...

[Anonymous Coward]

"Poor and 3rd world nations" aren't usually associated with being near the top in GDP and certainly not at #2. In several years, given current trends, China will become the largest economy in the world.

https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/rank order/2001rank.html [cia.gov]

Re:On which country...

[KDR_11k]

Being a public nuisance is punishable (though usually just a misdemeanor) in most western countries. While "disturbing unity" is usually only claimed by communist countries and militaries (not limited to communist militaries) other countries usually just use different terms to the same effect and if you do anything the police doesn't want you to do there's a good chance that they can take you in at least for a few days.

Re:On which country...

[KDR_11k]

Hugeass countries always have more GDP than small ones. Size matters, Liechtenstein has a GDP of 1.7G$ while Ethiopia has 69G$ yet noone would call Liechtenstein poorer than Ethiopia. Same for comparisons between the US and Europe, each European country is much smaller than the US and as such doesn't rank nearly as high but combined they are CAPTAIN PLANET, errr, a freaking huge economy.

Re:On which country...

[KDR_11k]

I'd like to think every single one except China. But since I can't say that with 100% confidence, let's just say: The vast majority.

Don't forget that there's more to the world than the west and I'd wager by numbers the unfree (military dictatorship, monarchy, theocracy, one party "democracy", etc) outnumber the free.

Re:On which country...

[morcego]

In that specific case, the killing part would be the crime.
In some other countries (Brazil among them), any public and offensive racist statements can lead to civil action/prosecution, or even jail time.
Example: If I own a shop, and I say to someone "Get out of here nigger" and force that person to exit my shop, I can be arrested.

Re:On which country...

[Anonymous Coward]

Just in case anyone's feeling lazy, the IMF's report [imf.org] ranks the PRC as a whole as the 108th largest economy per capita, right behind the Republic of Congo.

Taiwan by itself ranks 36, and Hong Kong 27th. Greece ranks 26th.

Re:I...

[bogjobber]

They probably won't because MySpace is owned by News Corp., which is controlled by Rupert Murdoch. Let's just say Mr. Murdoch doesn't exactly have a stellar track record when it comes to promoting freedom and democracy. This is hardly surprising.