VOA慢速英语2012 Technology Report - India once again delayed censorship hearings against Facebook and Google

 

Technology Report - India once again delayed censorship hearings against Facebook and Google

This is the VOA Special English Technology Report.

Recent developments in India and China have put the issue of Internet censorship back in the news. Last week, China’s largest microblogging service announced new policies that will restrict what its users can place online.

Sina Weibo is a service like Twitter. It lets users publish text and pictures in real time. There are about three hundred million Sina Weibo users. The service has been under increasing pressure from the Chinese government to better censor¹ its content.

Last week, Sina Weibo announced new policies aimed at preventing what it called offensive or questionable² material from being posted online. This includes information that is said to be false or threatens the honor of the nation. It also includes postings that it says support evil teachings or destroy the security of society.

Many web users have criticized the new policies. They say they will restrict free speech. Chad Catacchio is an American-based blogger who follows technology news out of China. He agrees with others who say similar policies have been in place all along.

CHAD CATACCHIO: "These kinds of rules have existed for a while on the Internet in China, so I wouldn't say anything is necessarily a surprise. Take it for what it is, but on a positive side at least it’s…they are putting it in writing publicly. What that means and if that's good for the users, that's very far to be seen."

Sina Weibo’s new policies are set to take effect on May twenty-eighth. Last month, the company deleted several user accounts after stories of a possible government overthrow³ spread across its service.

It was among several microblogging services that the Chinese government punished for failing to restrict the false stories. Also in March, the government announced new rules requiring microblog users to register their accounts using their real names.

China has more than five hundred thirteen million Internet users. The country has taken great steps to control Internet use. It has one of the largest and most developed censorship systems in the world. Websites like Twitter, YouTube and Facebook are banned in the country.

In other news last week, the Delhi High Court in India once again delayed censorship hearings against Facebook and Google. It is the second time the hearings have been delayed this year. The two companies are part of a group of companies accused of not censoring⁴ offensive content on their websites. The Delhi High Court has set the new hearing date for August seventh.

And that's the VOA Special English Technology Report, written by June Simms. Transcripts⁵, MP3s and podcasts of our reports are at www.voanews.cn. I'm June Simms.

1 censor   

n./vt.审查，审查员；删改

参考例句：

• The film has not been viewed by the censor.这部影片还未经审查人员审查。
• The play was banned by the censor.该剧本被查禁了。

2 questionable   

adj.可疑的，有问题的

参考例句：

• There are still a few questionable points in the case.这个案件还有几个疑点。
• Your argument is based on a set of questionable assumptions.你的论证建立在一套有问题的假设上。

3 overthrow   

v.推翻，打倒，颠覆；n.推翻，瓦解，颠覆

参考例句：

• After the overthrow of the government,the country was in chaos.政府被推翻后，这个国家处于混乱中。
• The overthrow of his plans left him much discouraged.他的计划的失败使得他很气馁。

4 censoring   

删剪（书籍、电影等中被认为犯忌、违反道德或政治上危险的内容）( censor的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Therefore, exhibitors shall not make use of these materials before censoring. 展商在审查前不可使用这些资料。
• The company then said it would end self-censoring search results, putting it at odds with Beijing. 随后该公司表示，将停止自我审查搜索结果，从而与中国政府发生对抗。

5 transcripts   

n.抄本（ transcript的名词复数 ）；转写本；文字本；副本

参考例句：

• Like mRNA, both tRNA and rRNA are transcripts of chromosomal DNA. tRNA及rRNA同mRNA一样，都是染色体DNA的转录产物。 来自辞典例句
• You can't take the transfer students'exam without your transcripts. 没有成绩证明书，你就不能参加转学考试。 来自辞典例句