China controls Internet again

Beijing: China has blocked the searches on microblogs so as to restrict any searches on the 'Jasmine Revolution' that was to be staged in Chinese city.

It started with blocking any online searches for the word 'Jasmine'. However, later Sina suspended searches for all content on the microblogs. It allowed queries only on screen names, events and other criteria. Following this, another microblog operated by Tencent also blocked searches relating to the word 'Jasmine' and 'Jasmine Revolution'.

On searching for the word Jasmine Revolution online, users were asked to participate in demonstration in 13 cities, across China which included the capital Beijing. The detail of the group or the person who has started this is still unknown. However, recent protests in Egypt and Tunisia seem to have inspired the call. According to sources, Boxun.com, a Chinese site was the first to publish the protest call.

The blocking extended to other social networking sites too. For instance, a popular social-networking website, Renren.com also restricted its users from posting anything using the word Jasmine Revolution, asking the users not to publish any politically sensitive, inappropriate or salacious content.

Along with that, after the Egypt's anti-government protests various microblogs such as Sina have blocked searches for term 'Egypt' too. Searches on micro blog Sina, for the word 'Hillary' and 'Hillary Clinton', were also blocked after U.S. Secretary of State asked China to stop the online restriction.

Earlier, China has blocked the access to search engine Google too. The control has been removed now.