Censorship

Why is the word “salt” flagged by China’s internet censors?

March 13, 2012 

Censorship is probably as old as language itself. Okay, maybe it’s not that old, but there were censorship laws in Ancient Greece and in Dynastic China more than 2,000 years ago. From the Latin verb censere meaning ”to appraise, value or judge,” the word “censor” was first used to name the Roman official who oversaw public morals. How censorship is implemented, though, shifts over time. Today, book burning has given way to internet firewalls and deleted content.

Last year, Facebook and Twitter played large roles in connecting the protestors of the Arab Spring and in broadcasting their message to the international community. The internet certainly has the potential to play a role in protests and anti-government movements. However, the web, by its nature, is searchable and can also be used by governments to find and stymie anti-government efforts./.../