The Chinese government has cracked down on international media
coverage of the unrest in Tibet, blocking websites and censoring the
local feeds of broadcasters including BBC World and CNN.
China's
internet clampdown came over the weekend, following the outbreak of
widespread unrest and violence in Tibet last week, and has hit websites
including Yahoo, YouTube and Guardian.co.uk.
In an example of YouTube's influence, blocking access to the
video-sharing site is now a sort of scarlet letter for governments. The
site, which allows individuals to communicate with mass audiences, has
become a symbol of free speech to many, and governments that forbid it
are immediately branded around the world as repressive.
This kind of image can't be welcomed by China as it prepares to host this summer's Olympic Games in Beijing.
