Syria and China use the Internet to go after activists

http://blog.amnestyusa.org/iar/new-generation-of-online-activists-targeted-in-china/

"This massive clampdown shows that the Chinese government is rattled by the example of people’s movements abroad using the internet to fight for their freedoms.  Instead of being afraid of unrest, the Chinese authorities should encourage more participation and uphold people’s right to express diverse views, in order to tackle the country’s problems with social justice, corruption and inequality."

From the article it looks like China is going WAY overboard going after bloggers and such on the Internet for just even mentioning something that might be related to something they may be only thinking of doing.  This is sad.

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2011/03/22/Syrian-government-tracking-protesters/UPI-87901300795144/

"The government is using cookies and is creating bogus Internet links to trace addresses of online individuals ... At times they join online groups and pretend to be anti-regime activists just to collect more names and trace more people," an unidentified Syrian resident told al-Arabiya.


Shouldn't this be expected though?  Gandhi was all for doing things in the open, so I think I'd be for publicly posting an event in most circumstances.  For instance, Gandhi publicly announced the Salt March, wherein he exposed the monopoly the Brits had on the sale of salt in India.  This was done by having the police club quite a few protesters until it was obvious that the Brits were not the Moral Overlords they claimed to be.

There are ways to post anonymously though.  I've not tried to overthrow a dictator before, so I don't speak authoritatively, but I think I'd post plans anonymously of a very public event that is the least confrontive to the government but still shows collective action. Like (taking a real example) everybody go to the park on Tuesday morning and eat ice cream.  Good times.