Tencent and Xiaomi may censor a GitHub page for worker grievance disclosure

A growing and growing GitHub database, in which Chinese developers have expressed their grievances in the workplace, could be threatened with censorship. A number of Internet users in China said they saw their access to the database cut off when they used browsers offered by companies such as Tencent, Alibaba, Xiaomi and Qihoo 360, first spotted by Abacus. There is no indication for the moment that these censorship efforts may have come from government decisions.

Some of the companies that would block access to the GitHub repository are also the same accused of encouraging their employees to work for 12 hours a day, six days a week without sufficient remuneration for overtime, a coincidence that the Chinese developers quickly adopted. report. Alibaba's UC Browser was captured as blocking the database and Alibaba's name was cited in worker charges. Alibaba has not responded to the comment.

"There is illegal information on the website you are currently visiting. Please close the page, "reads a warning on the 360 ​​browser, according to the user ilaotan of GitHub. A second user replied, "Looks like all Chinese home browsers have restrictions in place. Some will not let you access the page, others will prevent you from showcasing it. " The edge tried to check if the 360 ​​browser was actually censored and found that even if the repository was accessible, the star feature was blocked. Qihoo 360 has not responded to a request for comment.

Another developer wrote on GitHub: "Use Chrome, never use that kind of garbage", referring to the reputation of some browsers affected for potential security issues. It appears that browser blocking is reported inconsistently by users, with some claiming to be able to access the 996.ICU repository via 360 Browser and Xiaomi's MIUI browser, while others confirm that they can not access the browser. database via most national browsers.

Tencent's QQ browser restricts access, but allows users to access the page if they wish. Still, a user has captured a Tencent page stating, "This page has been removed. According to user and Tencent Security Response Center complaints, this page contains illegal or transgressive content. In order to maintain a clean Internet environment, access was denied. Tencent has not responded to a request for comment.

A source said The edge that browser blocking could possibly be the result of individual decisions made by companies to cancel the reviews, rather than by a Chinese government order, as it only targeted one page rather than one domain full. A block of an offensive GitHub repository at the browser level could be a clever way for Chinese technology companies to remove controversial documents, while the GitHub main platform remains accessible. This is not an ideal situation for companies if GitHub were to fall in China.

"GitHub is widely used by Chinese programmers for business reasons. Blocking browsers, especially those using a mobile phone like Xiaomi, could be a way to solve this problem, "says Sarah Cook, senior analyst at Freedom House for East Asia. "This could be a way to limit the negative political impact without causing the collateral damage to computer innovation that a complete block would impose."