The IT Nerd

Here’s the good news: Those in China can now get the iTunes Music Store again.

Here’s the bad news: You can’t get that Tibet LP (iTunes link). But at least we know why they blocked it:

“An article on China.org.cn, a new Web site operated by the Chinese government’s Internet Information Center, said “Songs for Tibet” had “ignited strong indignation” among Chinese Web users. Some users said they would boycott Apple products, including the popular iPhone, which is so far unavailable in China, the article said.”

The moral of the story: China doesn’t like freedom of speech and those who speak up for those who can’t. Too bad.

P.S. Buy the album and support freedom of speech.

Following up on my story about Chinese censorship at the Olympics comes the news that the iTunes store is being blocked in China. The word on the street is that it’s being blocked because of an album called Songs for Tibet [iTunes link], which is a compilation of music by Sting, Alanis Morissette, Garbage and others, plus a 15-minute lecture by the Dalai Lama.

This is a dumb move by China. Perhaps people inside China won’t be able to buy this album. But thanks to their stupidity attempt at censorship, Apple is guarnteed to sell a lot of copies of this album outside China.

This whole thing reminds me of a line from a Who song: “Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss.” But in China’s case it’s “Meet the new China. Same as the old China.”

P.S. Buy the album and support freedom of speech.