China: Censors vs. video, culture, innovation, humor, pretty much the entire Chinese blogsphere – John Kennedy

From Global Voices Online:

Whenever I think of the word SARFT, it always seems to be attached to ‘ban’. Or, SARFT is a ban, and bans are SARFT, one and the same. Fang Jun once made a list. In just two short months, SARFT released five or six bans, impressive in the way that officials are; breath-taking, stunning, bossy her, with a touch that turns gold to stone. Fang Jun says, “China’s most conservative department, judging from recent events, is pretty much SARFT.” I feel that this word conservative doesn’t even come close to describing this department’s authority and bearing. As mother company for an even bigger gang of companies, it should be said that SARFT looks after its offspring with the utmost care, love and then some. Bans, bans are when outsiders move your cheese; bans are when other consider the possibility of new cheese a priority. More so, all bans, without exception, are formed and appear with the most righteous of morals. SARFT, it’s nothing more than a morality administration….[Full Text]

Read also SARFT attacks Internet video and Chinese censors target internet spoofs via CDT.