China's Pop-Up Cyber Cops

Radley Balko | September 10, 2007

From CNET:

They might appear mere anime characters, but these two virtual police officers have been created by the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau to combat online pornography and other Web activity considered illicit.

In what's just China's latest attempt to clamp down on the Internet, the animated beat officers will pop up--either on a motorcycle, in a car or on foot--to warn surfers on Chinese sites that they are being monitored, Reuters said.

Beginning Saturday, they will appear every half hour on computer screens run by 13 major Beijing-based portals, Reuters said.

Comments

|9.10.07 @ 1:58PM|#

Big Brother turned out to be much more kawaii than Orwell thought.

Episiarch|9.10.07 @ 2:02PM|#

I always said anime was evil.

|9.10.07 @ 2:16PM|#

Wouldn't a photo of a recently tortured state prisoner be more effective. Some basic user interaction would allow for random photo display of damaged body part. They could even have a "Guess the victims crime" competition now and again.

Plus a little Olympic logo on each photo will help remind the Chinese just how far they've come.

|9.10.07 @ 2:20PM|#

Why does every Asian cartoon character have ridiculously round huge eyes?

|9.10.07 @ 2:26PM|#

They make cheap shit and Wal-Mart is their 10th largest trading partner, so nothing to see here.

|9.10.07 @ 2:34PM|#

That Moron John-David - Why does every Asian cartoon character have ridiculously round huge eyes?

Only the good ones. Evil characters have, of all things, slanted or thin eyes. This is not because of any notions of self hatred. It existed in Chinese folklore long before the white devils showed up looking for spice and silk and cheap plastic goods.

The Extispicator|9.10.07 @ 2:51PM|#

This reminds me of the Onion commentary by Santa Claus entitled "Ho, Ho, Ho, I caught you masturbating."

|9.10.07 @ 2:57PM|#

We've been ignoring China's human rights records (see MFN status) since we were ruled by King Clinton and Guard Captain Gingrich. But now, ten years later, were supposed to mad at "evil" Wal-Mart (and only Wal-Mart - not less successful Target, Meijer, K-Mart, Macy's, or Sears) for buying goods on the cheap.

But since I like my cheap junk cheap, I'll have to agree that WJC (acting in conjunction with his slightly more conservative congress)was the best sitting government we ever had. Praise be upon them.

At least the people in China are getting some warning they are being spied on. If my phone were tapped, I'd appreciate a little audio message coming on every half hour to remind me of my lack of privacy. Maybe our gov't, and local police in particular, could air TV commercials reminding us all the Bill of Rights is more of a set of rules the government tries to follow whenever it suits them, rather than any set of actual rights we may have.

PreemptiveDanT.|9.10.07 @ 3:12PM|#

If the Chinese don't like it, they can move.

|9.10.07 @ 3:15PM|#

At least the people in China are getting some warning they are being spied on. If my phone were tapped, I'd appreciate a little audio message coming on every half hour to remind me of my lack of privacy. Maybe our gov't, and local police in particular, could air TV commercials reminding us all the Bill of Rights is more of a set of rules the government tries to follow whenever it suits them, rather than any set of actual rights we may have.

What a cool idea! American-style, I can imagine Porky Pig periodically saying, "Remember, f-f-folks, B-bih-Bih-Bih, uh, B-bih-Bih-Bih, uh, B-bih-Bih-Bih-Big Buh-Brother's wah-wah-watching you!!!"

The Wine Commonsewer|9.10.07 @ 3:29PM|#

Are they cleaning earwax? Or threatening suicide with a finger gun?

|9.10.07 @ 3:40PM|#

Hum, China will tell you they are watching, our government does it in secret. It makes for a somewhat best government argument. Which is better, the honest government that will tell you it's watching, or the deceptive government that claims it's a state secret? With respects to this topic anyway.

Rhywun|9.10.07 @ 5:05PM|#

As if the Chinese need reminding they live in a totalitarian wonderland. Perhaps little cartoon police thugs are a hopeful sign that the administration is finally on the verge of collapsing under the weight of its own stupidity. One can hope.

|9.10.07 @ 5:24PM|#

I wish the frickin' Chinese would stop giving the neocons ideas.

|9.10.07 @ 5:57PM|#

The Wine Commonsewer - Are they cleaning earwax? Or threatening suicide with a finger gun?

I think they're indicating the point on the temple where the fatal blow, like the last cherry blossom of summer, falls upon.

DannyK|9.10.07 @ 6:29PM|#

Little Brother and Sister are watching you! How cute!

|9.10.07 @ 7:34PM|#

Lessee.

China has got little kids in police uniforms watching guys watching porn.

Now THAT's kinky.

db|9.10.07 @ 9:17PM|#

You wanted "machines of loving grace" watching over us, you got it.

|9.10.07 @ 11:02PM|#

How long until there are explicit pictures of those two floating around the internet?

|9.11.07 @ 12:49PM|#

I think they're indicating the point on the temple where the fatal blow, like the last cherry blossom of summer, falls upon.

I believe that the Chinese government thugs execute prisoners with a shot to the back of the head, not the temple.

The fact that the ChiComs are resorting to this sort of thing is probably the best evidence that the genie is well out of the bottle.