De la censure

China’s censorship agencies exercise overlapping jurisdiction over the internet and often employ policies that create confusion. The result has been a layered system of control that begins with self-censorship by those who create online content, followed by policing by web platforms, which are often private enterprises, and finally, when necessary, intervention by government regulators or the police. Some regulations are explicit – no depiction of killing endangered species or underage drinking, for example. Others are imprecise. One, for example, prohibits blurring the lines between "truth and falsity, good and evil, beauty and ugliness." Critics say the rules are meant to be so vague that the authorities can justify blocking anything, as circumstances dictate.