China's Internet Surveillance

China's "web police" are employed by the governments propaganda sector.  This article estimates that 2 million people are payed to keep tabs on people internet usage. The Communist party's tight control on censorship is to minimize political or social unrest that could challenge the government and start an uprising. They have banned Facebook and Twitter because of this. Last year they blocked the New York Times due to it's reports that made Chinese political officials look bad. Hundreds have been detained for negative comments, and highly followed bloggers are "encouraged" to make positive ones. 

In this day where almost everything revolves around the internet, it is hardly surprising that other governments (including the US) have their own monitoring tactics as well. This article gives examples:

• A "sarcastic" Facebook status of a boy who said he was going to shoot up a kindergarten put him in jail for months
• Instagram photos of money and guns lead to the biggest NYC gun bust ever
• A mom's Facebook photo of her baby with a bong lead to her arrest

It is also no secret that a New Trier student was suspended last year for Tweeting a joke about bombing the school.

 If you share something publicly on social media, "you should expect the world to read it," said Andy Sellars. This is something we should all know when posting on the internet. It is a public place. We might not have the draconian security that China has, but people still need to be careful. 

How careful are you on social network? How do you think law enforcement should deal with people who claim they were "joking?"