Rebecca MacKinnon

“由天津政务网和北方网联合策划、共同举办的《政民零距离》栏目，于10月20日正式开通。该栏目集网民提交信息、督察办理效率、反馈办理结果、统计办理情况、评价结果满意度等功能于一体，让公众通过互联网就可以反映建议、意见并得到解决和反馈，在政府与百姓之间搭建起服务的平台。” - Rebecca MacKinnon

"China's Minister of Public Security Meng Jianzhu has called for full application of the information technology in improving the police force's crime prevention and control system. Meng made the remarks during an inspection tour to east China's Anhui Province from Oct. 30 to 31. To safeguard national security and maintain public stability, information technology was indispensable, he said. Greater efforts should be made in sharing information to establish an integrated mechanism of combating, preventing and controlling crimes, Meng said. He also urged close cooperation between the public security departments and technological enterprises." - Rebecca MacKinnon

"The first Guangdong Province Netizen Forum, held in the provincial capital Guangzhou on November 1, 2009 is a sign of the growing importance of the Internet as an expression of Chinese public opinion, Chinanews.com.cn reports. The forum sponsors said their aim is to transmit the views of grass-roots netizens to the government and boost the participation of Internet users in public life. Internet use has spread rapidly across China over the past ten years and Guangdong has more Internet users than any other province. Guangdong Party Secretary Wang Yang has held discussions with netizens and invited them to voice their criticisms of government. He has also said the government wants to create ways for the public to participate in policy making and turn public opinion into a form of soft power to improve Guangdong." - Rebecca MacKinnon

China's Culture Ministry has accused the publishing watchdog of abusing its authority by threatening access to the popular online game, World of Warcraft, stoking bureaucratic rivalry over control of the Internet. - Rebecca MacKinnon

"The country's police chief said the rapid development of the Internet has posed a new challenge to maintaining social stability, as he called for a comprehensive security system covering both the real and virtual worlds. The rare remarks by Minister of Public Security Meng Jianzhu signal more government attention to online opinions but also stricter control on online expression, experts said. "Currently, the overall social order is good ... but the rapid development of the Internet and loopholes in social management are posing unprecedented challenges to maintaining a stable society," Meng said at a seminar with police chiefs from across the country on Sunday in Hefei, Anhui province, according to a transcript posted on the ministry's website yesterday." - Rebecca MacKinnon

“过去网上‘华山论剑’，今天珠岛‘会面拍砖’！欢迎大家！”17日上午，中共中央政治局委员、省委书记汪洋，省长黄华华邀请数十位网民来到广州，请网友们共同为广东科学发展“灌水”、“拍砖”。省委常委、宣传部长林雄以及省直有关单位负责人也参加了座谈会，听取网民提出的意见建议。 汪洋：这是第一次但绝不是最后一次 “我可以告诉大家这是第一次，但绝不是最后一次。”汪洋的一句话给到场的网友们极大鼓舞，他说，将来或许不只是我们在做。他和黄华华想用行动，让广东的各级党委政府更加重视网络民意，重视网络民主平台，更好地发挥其作用。 - Rebecca MacKinnon

11月1日上午10点，第一届“潮涌珠江——广东网民论坛”在广东科学中心正式开坛，108名网友从“线上”走到“线下”，跟受邀参会的政府官员、专家学者面对面拍砖灌水。 　　据了解，“潮涌珠江——广东网民论坛”是广东省委宣传部的指导下，由南方报业传媒集团、广东省网络文化协会主办，南都报系·奥一网承办的一个品牌性网络论坛。论坛计划从今年开始每年举办一届高端论坛，每月组织线下的拍砖会性质的小型聚会，主要为了凝聚广东网民的集体智慧，激发普通民众参政热情，汇集智者的发聩之声，借全球网民之力，推动广东发展。 - Rebecca MacKinnon