Movies, the 'Net, and Protest in China

The Los Angeles Times (free registration required) describes Internet resistance to a Chinese Communist Party official's attempt to force public school students to attend a movie made by his daughter. This corruption case garnered national attention because of the Internet discussion of it. As the Times writes, "in the age of the Internet, the court of public opinion fills a critical void in a system that lacks adequate checks and balances." This example illustrates both the power of the Internet to focus attention on abuses and the reasons why China seeks to control the news its citizens see.