Link to the article: Microblogging spreads in China, even without Twitter - USATODAY.com
Microblog is a cultural phenomenon. With more celebrities creating their micro-blog accounts, Chinese netizens use microblog as a way to connect with others.
Han Han, China's famous blog writer and representative of the Generation Y, opened his personal micro-blog not long ago. His first micro-blog is only one word---“Hi”, which soon attracted hundreds of thousands of netizens to respond. When asked about the first post, Han said, "I meant to type 'Hello' to test the micro-blog, but I accidentally hit 'Hi' and that's it." People predict that micro-blog may lead to a new round of revolution among the young people.
As the micro-blog becomes more and more popular, the voice of the grassroots is being heard much more. Like the article mentioned, the Chinese twitter service provides the public a platform to get their opinion heard.
"With this new tool, there will be more citizens supervising the government," says Min Dahong, a new-media researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in Beijing.
I think it is a good start.
Off The Point:
Maybe censorship did shut down the door to free speech before, but the situation in China is improving as the emergence of more social sites like Microblog. We are getting there, even though it has to take a long time before the free speech right can be fully given to all people.
2 comments:
There is a similar trend in India with celebrities updating their microblogging page(read Twitter!) at every occasion ranging from sneezing thrice to being locked in an airport toilet! It does get ridiculous at times.
@ paromita: Really? Guess we have a lot to talk about now. It can be ridiculous when the celebrities tweet about everything. :-)
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