The Politics of Censorship – Bryan Thetford Such a huge investment is, by necessity, coupled with legislation and bureaucracy. In 2010, the People's Republic of China released a white paper through its Information Office detailing its policies for implementing and regulating the Internet (Xu). Delegating control to over a dozen government organizations and detailing 18 specific laws or decisions regarding the Internet in China, the document is absolutely thorough (Dance to The Revolution). Despite this, it is largely seen as a piece of propaganda, prompting one American writer, Rebecca MacKinnon, to compare reading the white paper to reading an article in The Onion. The comparison between a legislative document and a publication known for its witty and cutting parody arises from the stark contrast between the spirit of China's Internet censorship laws and their practical, everyday implementation (MacKinnon). For example, the 2010 White Paper states: “Chinese citizens fully enjoy freedom of speech on the Internet. The Constitution of the People's Republic of China gives Chinese citizens the right to freedom of speech. Since their right to free speech on the Internet is protected by law, they can express their opinions in various ways on the Internet." (Information Office, PRC) However, less than a year after the publication of the white paper, more than 200 people are were held in “soft detention” and 26 arrested in connection with an online call by activists for a “jasmine revolution” similar to uprisings in North Africa and the Middle East (Richburg). Among those arrested was Ai WeiWei, a prominent Chinese artist. Ai WeiWei, an active Twitter user skilled in bypassing China's blockade of the popular social networking site via...... middle of paper ......oyama, Kentaro. "How censorship actually works of the Internet in China." The Atlantic. AtlanticDesai, Rajiv. "Dr. Rajiv Desai's Blog." Dr. Rajiv Desai's Blog. Np, Qw January 2012. Web. 03 March 2014. .Mack, Lauren. "Internet Censorship in China". Internet censorship in China. About.com and Web. 03 March 2014. Saggio, Paolo. “Breaking China's 'Great Firewall' of Web Censorship.” ABC News. USA Today and Web. 03 March 2014. .Rininsland, Edrew. “Internet Censorship Listed: How Does Each Country Compare?” Theguardian.com. Guardian News and Media, 16 April 2012. Web. 02 March. 2014. .