Asia Overview
The dynamism and creativity driving the development of networked spheres in Asia
showed no signs of abating through the early months of 2009. As more citizens began
to utilize Internet tools for disseminating and producing information, online expression, activism, and networking have begun to permeate the national political and cultural fabric across the spectrum of Asian countries.
In 2007–2008, the OpenNet Initiative conducted in-country testing in Bangladesh,
China, India, Indonesia, Laos, South Korea, Malaysia, Burma, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam, and Thailand. Testing results found filtering practices to
be largely consistent with 2006 results.
China, Burma, and Vietnam continued to rely on pervasive filtering practices to
shape public knowledge and expression by targeting primarily content specific to politically sensitive topics in their own countries, especially Web sites in local languages.
China, Burma, and Vietnam also continued to block with the greatest breadth and
depth, spanning human rights issues, reform and opposition activities, independent
media and news, and discrimination against ethnic and religious minorities. On the
opposite end of the spectrum, Singapore continued to block a nominal amount of
adult content and pornographic Web sites.
The dynamism and creativity driving the development of networked spheres in Asia
showed no signs of abating through the early months of 2009. As more citizens began
to utilize Internet tools for disseminating and producing information, online expression, activism, and networking have begun to permeate the national political and cultural fabric across the spectrum of Asian countries.
In 2007–2008, the OpenNet Initiative conducted in-country testing in Bangladesh,
China, India, Indonesia, Laos, South Korea, Malaysia, Burma, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam, and Thailand. Testing results found filtering practices to
be largely consistent with 2006 results.
China, Burma, and Vietnam continued to rely on pervasive filtering practices to
shape public knowledge and expression by targeting primarily content specific to politically sensitive topics in their own countries, especially Web sites in local languages.
China, Burma, and Vietnam also continued to block with the greatest breadth and
depth, spanning human rights issues, reform and opposition activities, independent
media and news, and discrimination against ethnic and religious minorities. On the
opposite end of the spectrum, Singapore continued to block a nominal amount of
adult content and pornographic Web sites.