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The Forum in Beijing: Digital China

The current state of the internet and social media in China, recorded at the British ambassador's residence in Beijing. With Hu Yong, Qiao Mu, Priscilla Jiao and Jeremy Goldkorn.

Bridget Kendall chairs a wide-ranging discussion in Beijing about the internet in China: with nearly 600 million Chinese now online, how is the spread of social media changing the nature of their society? How much is free expression really curtailed by the Great Firewall of China and the recent legislation aimed at curbing the spread of 'rumours' on the net? And is the ability to share the minutiae of their lives online making the young in China politically apathetic? Photo credit: Jackie Zhang

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28 minutes

Last on

Sat 16 Nov 2013 11:00

Hu Yong

Hu Yong
Hu Yong is an associate professor at Peking University’s School of Journalism and Communication, and a well-known new media critic and Chinese internet pioneer. He is active in industry affairs as the co-founder of the Digital Forum of China, a non-profit organization that promotes public awareness of digitization and advocates a free and responsible internet. He also co-founded Chinavalue.net, a leading new media business.

Qiao Mu

Qiao Mu
Qiao Mu is an associate professor of political communication and the Director of Center for International Communication Studies at Beijing Foreign Studies University. He is a columnist for Bloomberg Businessweek Chinese edition, and a committee member of National Prize for China’s Media and Journalism. He also tried to use the internet to support his – ultimately unsuccessful - efforts to be elected as an independent local councillor.

Priscilla Jiao

Priscilla Jiao
Priscilla Jiao, a former South China Morning Post correspondent, covers issues concerning the internet, censorship, social media platforms and civil society for a variety of publications. Her coverage of tainted milk activist Zhao Lianhai won a Special Merit of Human Rights Press Awards in recognition of an outstanding contribution toward greater awareness and appreciation of human rights.

Jeremy Goldkorn

Jeremy Goldkorn
Jeremy Goldkorn is the founder and director of Danwei, a research firm that tracks Chinese media and Internet. He is an affiliate of the Australian Centre on China in the World, co-editor of the annual China Story Yearbook and co-host of the Sinica podcast. He covers a range of subjects from the Chinese internet industry, media regulation, censorship, the habits of Chinese internet users, to Sino-African affairs, the Great Wall, and Chinese consumer culture.  He is also the founder of Great Wall Fresh, a social enterprise to help Chinese farmers run small tourism businesses catering to foreign outdoor enthusiasts.

Broadcast

  • Sat 16 Nov 2013 11:00

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