China continues to censor internet for Olympics

China is concerned about dissident political activity online

China will continue to censor the internet during the Olympic Games, causing concern for the 20,000 members of the media who will be covering the event.

The state blocks access to a huge amount of web sites considered suspect, but the International Olympic Committee had previously said that bans would be lifted for the duration of the games – which run from 8 August to 24 August.

Kevin Gosper, head of the IOC’s press commission, said yesterday: “I also now understand that some IOC officials negotiated with the Chinese that some sensitive sites would be blocked on the basis they were not considered games-related.”

Jacques Rogge, head of the IOC, had told press service AFP earlier this month: "There will be no censorship of the internet."

But many foreign media sites remain banned, including the BBC.

The Beijing Olympics organising committee insisted that media would have sufficient access to do their jobs, but many journalists were worried they would not be able to research, access web-hosted mail systems, and check their copy in print online.

Press freedom group Reporters Without Borders recommended that foreign media install programs that help circumvent firewalls and protect communications, such as Tor, Psiphon or Proxify.