China Nudges Accused Video Pirates Down the Plank, Stirring Frustration Over Censorship

An energy by law enforcement to shut down a pipeline for pirated content has resurrected discussion around censorship in China, opening a window into the anxieties felt by many Chinese as the nation grows additional inward-on the lookout underneath leader Xi Jinping.

For many months, authorities in Shanghai have been investigating customers of Renren Yingshi, a sprawling network of translators that offers uncensored overseas Television shows and motion pictures to millions of Chinese underneath the guise of education, more than suspected copyright violations.

The probe captivated minimal detect until earlier this month, when Shanghai law enforcement issued a detect revealing the detentions of additional than a dozen individuals as element of the investigation. The announcement established off an outpouring of anguished messages from supporters on the web, which includes on Weibo, a preferred Twitter -like platform, the place the hashtag “Renren Yingshi investigated for pirated videos” captivated 800 million sights in much less than 24 hours.

“Salute to all people who have assisted us open the doorway to the world in all eras,” Yan Feng, a literature professor at Shanghai’s prestigious Fudan University, wrote in a Weibo put up to his additional than five million followers.

“How about supplying us a lawful and uncensored avenue in its place?” asked an additional person, whose remark been given additional than 23,600 likes.