China and new media: ‘harmony’ or power to the people?

Over the last 24 months we have seen the Chinese authorities rocked by the use of new media technologies to open up events such as the Tibetan protests, anger around the Sechuan earthquake and coverage of the Olympic Games. They have responded by easing access for journalists and allowing unprecedented powers of expression for Chinese citizens. Yet at the same time they are planning new restrictions on Internet use and they are still throwing dissident bloggers into jail. The question asked in this essay by Polis Summer School student, Ruoshan Lin is “Are Chinese citizens aware of their enormous potential of gaining political power through new media or will they abide by the“harmonious society”?