But their online expression will be subject to the same IOC limits as for previous Games and will include requirements to respect "applicable laws" of the host nation and Olympic values prohibiting expression that "constitutes or signals discrimination, hatred, hostility or the potential for violence on any basis." 27, 2021.Īs for foreign athletes, they will be allowed to use China's unrestricted internet service to express their views through digital and social media channels, under the IOC's Rule 50 Guidelines, which govern athletes' expression. Spectators wave flags during the FIS Ski Cross World Cup 2022, part of a 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games test event at Genting Snow Park in Chongli county, Zhangjiakou city, China's Hebei province, Nov.
In subsequent years, however, Chinese authorities proceeded to block all those web services plus Instagram, which was launched in 2010.ĭatt emphasized the limited nature of China's pledge to make another one-off opening of its enlarged Great Firewall. web portals Google and Yahoo, video-sharing site YouTube, and social media platforms Facebook and Twitter. While working for another network, a VOA Mandarin Service journalist who was reporting from Hangzhou, China, for the 2016 Group of 20 summit and from Beijing for the 2017 Belt and Road summit observed that Chinese authorities provided unrestricted Wi-Fi access at both venues to accredited foreign journalists.Īngeli Datt, senior China researcher at Washington-based human rights group Freedom House, told VOA that the Great Firewall was also unblocked for visitors participating in the 2015 World Athletics Championships, held at the same Beijing stadium that had hosted the 2008 Summer Olympics.ĭuring the 2008 Games, China's Great Firewall was much smaller, blocking foreign websites containing political content that Beijing deemed sensitive while allowing access to U.S. when purchasing Games SIM cards via the Beijing 2022 Rate Card program," the IOC said.Ĭhina has unblocked its Great Firewall for certain foreign visitors in certain venues on several occasions in the past decade. "Accredited participants will be able to access open internet service with their own devices via wired or Wi-Fi OTN (optical transport network) connection. In a statement emailed to VOA, the International Olympic Committee confirmed that China, as host of the 2022 Beijing Games, will honor a promise to allow athletes and accredited foreign media to have open internet service in the Olympic Village, competition and noncompetition venues, and contracted media hotels. The athletes' village for the Winter Olympics Beijing 2022 is seen from above, in Zhangjiakou, Hebei province, China, Nov.