传统媒体被控 网民辟信息新渠道

对于埃及的局势，在中国国内，政府持续严密控制和引导媒体报导，生怕非洲大陆上要求民主的呼声会引起中国人的响应。另一方面，中国Facebook的用户在过去一个月里激增一倍。

民众要求民主和政府独裁的对抗，在埃及是现在進行式，而在中国大陆，也并不是过去式。更何况，埃及的局势太容易让中国人联想到1989年那被枪和坦克镇压了的民主呼声。

阿拉伯《先躯报》说，全世界民众密切关注埃及人民反政府抗议之际，中国官媒对事件要么报导很少，要么试图误导。因为假如中国民众也效仿埃及人民，因痛恨官员贪污腐败而走上街头，中共将难以控制。

不过，中共官媒大量突出报导，政府接出困在埃及的1800多名中国公民的新闻。

美国《时代周刊》的文章说，埃及事件正值中国农历新年，被困埃及的中国公民及时返家，正好与民众希望阖家欢乐的愿望相吻合，中共媒体很好利用了这个心理和时机。

虽然传统形式的媒体遭到严密控制和引导，但关心时事的人们还是通过海外媒体的视频和广播，了解埃及事件的细节。

而作为网络新兴媒体的Facebook，尽管在中国受到封锁，需要突破防火墙才能注册，但在过去一个月里，Facebook的中国用户激增一倍。

事实上，在埃及目前的“倒穆”示威中，Facebook也凸显出它的冲击力。

谷歌（Google）中东及北非市场部主管威尔．戈宁( Wael Ghonim)，在Facebook上面设立了名为「我们都是赛义德」（We are all Khaled Said）的专页，纪念被警方打死的埃及男子赛义德( Khaled Said)。这个网页最终成为筹组示威，以及批评埃及政府的平台。

而戈宁被捕后，Facebook上面有一个活动群组，名为「我授权戈宁以埃及革命者之名为我们发声」，群组已经有13万人加入，形成「倒穆」呼声中不可小看的力量。

尽管中共官方对网络的封锁步步升级，但Facebook等新兴网络媒体难以抵挡的魅力不断吸引着中国国内的网民加入，成为信息流通和交流的新渠道。

Chinese Netizens Pursue New Media Channels amidst Censorship

As the Egyptian situation progresses, the Chinese authorities continue its tight control on media reports, fearing for the cascade effect of the democratic ovements in Africa to spread to China. On the other hand, Chinese Facebook users
doubled in number over the past month.

The Arabic Herald reported, as the entire world closely watch the anti-government struggle in Egypt, China』s official media either have little coverage on the event or attempt to mislead the public, in fear that the Chinese would learn from Egyptians to take to the streets to protest against corruption. The CCP will possibly lose control.

However, Chinese official media focused on the rescue efforts of 1800 Chinese citizens from Egypt. Time magazine reported that the Egyptian protests
broke out around the Chinese New Year. The repatriation coincided with the people』s wish for family reunion, which was taken advantage of
by Chinese government controlled media.

With conventional media forms tightly censored, many Chinese people resorted to overseas media for news development by breaking internet blockage.

As a new media, Facebook is blocked in China and requires the user to break the firewalls to gain access. Nevertheless, the number of Chinese Facebook users
doubled in the past month.

In fact, Facebook already showed its impact. Wael Ghonim, Google』s Head of Marketing for Middle East & North Africa set up a Facebook website “We are all Khaled Said” to commemorate the Egyptian Said beaten to death by the police.
This website finally became a platform for organizing demonstrations and criticizing Egypt』s government. After Ghonim』s arrest, another Facebook group
was formed in the name of Ghonim, which was soon joined by 130,000 people,
forming a strong force in bring Mubarak down.

Despite the ever-escalating internet blockage by the Chinese authorities, Facebook, among other new media, has constantly attracted Chinese netizens with its irresistible charm, becoming a new channel for information exchange.