Xiao Qiang, the founder and chief editor of China Digital Times explores how Chinese dissidents are using cloud-based tools to challenge their government’s legitimacy. He begins by noting that his emphasis is less on technology and more about “the human experience.” He points to memes of resistance that are spreading across China’s growing network of cell phones, blogs, and portals. The “River Crab” phenomenon – and, more recently, the Song of the Grass Mud Horse – show the growing Chinese awakening to the fact that, as Qiang puts it, “censorship is a form of violence against the human spirit.” He ends by pointing to Chinese artist and blogger Ai Weiwei’s attempts to uncover the names of the thousands of students who were killed by poorly constructed buildings in last year’s Sichuan earthquake. Ai Weiwei was beaten by police so badly in August that he needed brain surgery, which he is now recovering from in Germany. The power of using online tools to make information public, Qiang notes, is leading Chinese authorities to react in ways that may ultimately harm their reputation, control, and power.

Presentation

Blog Posts

“Xiao Qiang and Evgeny Morozov with dueling views of digital activism” by Ethan Zuckerman

Twitter

1. jeanyim #arscloud 啊呀好可惜！刚才那张幻灯在介绍艾未未收集遇难学生姓名的行动，如何在GFW，网警，传统媒体及官方喉舌之间引起不同反应，但是我这边听不到萧强老师说了什么！ (ars_electronica live > http://ustre.am/5J8N)6 days ago from Ustream
2. mckaywei Hey #arscloud glad to join here (ars_electronica live > http://ustre.am/5J8N)6 days ago from Ustream
3. susankid Hey #arscloud 艾未未现身。 (ars_electronica live >http://ustre.am/5J8N)6 days ago from Ustream
4. transmediale china #arscloud How to locate media where you can’t ‘locate’ media …?6 days ago from web
5. lWenQ 钓墙内的胃口RT @jeanyim: #arscloud @rockngo:开始介绍四川地震与艾未未的公民行动 (ars_electronica live >http://ustre.am/5J8N)6 days ago from web
6. jsb Audio is spotty, but I can distinguish @ethanz and@oso’s laughter at @rockngo’s #arscloud jokes.6 days ago from twhirl
7. yohap ars symposium reminds me we’re living in a very exciting age of history – hope the excitement does not overwhelm us at some point! #arscloud6 days ago from txt
8. yingeli #arscloud xiao on ai weiwei @aiww and his “name” project6 days ago from twidroid
9. susankid Hey #arscloud 艾未未（？）献身。。。 (ars_electronica live > http://ustre.am/5J8N)6 days ago from Ustream
10. jeanyim #arscloud @rockngo:开始介绍四川地震与艾未未的公民行动 (ars_electronica live > http://ustre.am/5J8N)6 days ago from Ustream
11. Merkstatt Hello #arscloud, glad to be here!6 days ago from mobile web
12. joshuasuh #arscloud very cloudy here ^^*재미있어요6 days ago from Twitterrific
13. jeanyim #arscloud @rockngo:河蟹与草泥马或恶搞或可爱的表象的背后，是中国网民深刻的政治诉求 (ars_electronica live >http://ustre.am/5J8N)6 days ago from Ustream
14. filmtiki FB RT @karli a comic that describes for me what tehrani said about twitter: http://bit.ly/thnTi #arscloud6 days ago from TweetDeck
15. xjacks #arscloud 速度好慢……slowly… (ars_electronica live >http://ustre.am/5J8N)6 days ago from Ustream
16. jeanyim #arscloud @rockngo:河蟹与草泥马或恶搞或搞笑的表象的背后，是中国网民深刻的政治诉求 (ars_electronica live >http://ustre.am/5J8N)6 days ago from Ustream
17. xjacks RT @jeanyim: #arscloud @rockngo:展示河蟹与草泥马的图片，并向现场观众介绍这两种中国特色的网络动物 (ars_electronica live > http://ustre.am/5J8N)6 days ago from twhirl
18. cfarivar Background on what Xiao is referring to:http://bit.ly/4oXchT http://bit.ly/122HXE #arscloud6 days ago from Tweetie
19. Ttianhuang RT @jeanyim: #arscloud @rockngo:展示河蟹与草泥马的图片，并向现场观众介绍这两种中国特色的网络动物 (ars_electronica live > http://ustre.am/5J8N)6 days ago from iTweet
20. Roysing 精精/插插~RT @jeanyim: #arscloud @rockngo: 展示两张警察的Q版卡通图片，女的叫Jingjing，男的叫Chacha，“这名字听起来像熊猫的名字” (ars_electronica live >http://ustre.am/5J8N)6 days ago from 奶瓶腿
21. MAMK EVENT: Human Nature – Ars Electronica 2009 I am covering the experience for #smartmobs at the #arscloud in Linz. http://is.gd/2UWgI6 days ago from TweetDeck
22. jeanyim #arscloud @rockngo:展示河蟹与草泥马的图片，并向现场观众介绍这两种中国特色的网络动物 (ars_electronica live >http://ustre.am/5J8N)6 days ago from Ustream
23. amoiist 看到蕭強在展示戴著三個表的大閘蟹和草泥馬了，笑#arscloud6 days ago from web
24. Ttianhuang RT @jeanyim: #arscloud @rockngo: 介绍中国传媒中“官方喉舌”与“改革/自由派媒体”之间的关系，以及GFW和网络在这个关系结构中的位置 (ars_electronica live >http://ustre.am/5J8N)6 days ago from iTweet
25. jeanyim #arscloud @rockngo: 介绍中国传媒中“官方喉舌”与“改革/自由派媒体”之间的关系，以及GFW和网络在这个关系结构中的位置 (ars_electronica live > http://ustre.am/5J8N)6 days ago from Ustream
26. Karli a comic that describes for me what tehrani said about twitter:http://geekandpoke.typepad.com/geekandpoke/2009/08/ifeelgood.html#arscloud6 days ago from TweetDeck
27. cfarivar Next up @rockngo Xiao Qiang. Info about all speakers here: http://bit.ly/fLfRv #arscloud (via @arscloud) Xiao’s Wiki: http://bit.ly/rzFrJ6 days ago from Tweetie
28. Ars_Electronica #arscloud xiao qiang on chinese media control structure.6 days ago from twidroid
29. MAMK Xiao Qiang is sharing his thoughts and reflections of the “human experience” in relation to citizen journalism and the Internet #arscloud6 days ago from TweetDeck
30. jeanyim #arscloud @rockngo: 展示两张警察的Q版卡通图片，女的叫Jingjing，男的叫Chacha，“这名字听起来像熊猫的名字” (ars_electronica live > http://ustre.am/5J8N)6 days ago from Ustream
31. digitalboy RT @jeanyim: #arscloud @rockngo 萧强老师开始发言，题目是“中国数码世界中的云行动”（我这边现在又卡得厉害，不保证能继续直播内容了） (ars_electronica live>http://ustre.am/5J8N)6 days ago from dabr
32. Tony200299 Hey #arscloud (ars_electronica live >http://ustre.am/5J8N)6 days ago from Ustream
33. jeanyim #arscloud @rockngo 萧强老师开始发言，题目是“中国数码世界中的云行动”（我这边现在又卡得厉害，不保证能继续直播内容了） (ars_electronica live > http://ustre.am/5J8N)

 Podcast Video: Download
 Standard Podcast: Download