Chinese authorities are expanding online censorship to include “…‘rumors,’ a modern-day dirty word that officials in Beijing use as a catch-all term to describe speculation, unverified commentary, and false information posted online,” writes Information Controls Fellow Jason Q. Ng.
These so-called ‘rumors’ can range from political speculation (‘will the ouster of Communist Party Head Zhou Yongkang lead to less corruption?’) to absurd and benign musings, such as wondering whether a drop of water falling from a high enough altitude can kill a person.
Click here to read “China’s Rumor Mill” by Jason Q. Ng in Foreign Affairs.