Changes

'''Baidu Baike''' is a [[Chinese]] alternative to the Chinese language [[Wikipedia]]. Baidu Baike is run in conjunction with the Chines search engine [[Baidu]]. Both Baidu and Baidu Baike are heavily censored in compliance with the [[communist]] government of mainland China. <ref>http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=06/05/11/1841224</ref> Several editors of political subjects on the Chinese Wikipedia instead engage in self-censorship. The article about [[Mao]] on the Chinese Wikipedia downplayed the millions of deaths he was responsible for.<ref>http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/11/29/news/wiki.php </ref> However, Wikipedia itself did and does not engage in self-censorship, something Reporters without Borders praised the site for. The refusal of censoring itself resulted in a year-long ban of the site by the Chinese government.<ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6154444.stm</ref> Even with this censorship, Baidu Baike's centralization and lack of tolerance for anonymous editors has allowed it to grow faster than the Chinese Wikipedia.{{fact}}

'''Baidu Baike''' is a [[Chinese]] alternative to the Chinese language [[Wikipedia]].

 

Baidu Baike is run in conjunction with the Chinese search engine [[Baidu]]. Both Baidu and Baidu Baike are heavily censored in compliance with the [[communist]] government of mainland China.<ref>Slashdot - [http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=06/05/11/1841224 Self-Censoring 'Chinese Wikipedia' Launched]</ref>

 

It has been pointed out that the Chinese Wikipedia appears to be censored when it comes to articles on controversial, political subjects like [[Mao Zedong]], which played down the millions of deaths he was responsible for. This behavior was tracked down to Chinese editors who engage in self-censorship. This form of censorship has its roots for example in the Chinese education system, which presents a whitewashed view of such topics.<ref>International Herald Tribune - [http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/11/29/news/wiki.php Chinese-language Wikipedia presents different view of history]</ref>

 

However, aside from editors censoring themselves, Wikipedia itself did and does not engage in or encourage self-censorship, something Reporters without Borders praised the site for. The refusal of censoring itself has resulted in history of blocking and unblocking of Wikipedia by the Chinese government.<ref>BBC - [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6154444.stm China 'unblocks' Wikipedia site] (year-long block until November 2006)</ref><ref>InfoWorld - [http://www.infoworld.com/article/07/09/06/Wikipedia-blocked-in-China-again_1.html Wikipedia blocked in China yet again] (block began August 31, 2007)</ref> This blocking behavior, along with the different content and editing policies, led to Baidu Baike's article count surpassing that of the Chinese Wikipedia within weeks after launch.

==References==

==References==