Coffeehouses

Coffee, Controversy and Connectivity: Why Coffee Houses Concern Governments The result? The Chinese government has begun a systematic campaign to (1) limit access to the web by banning social media sites and () close down cyber cafes where “Internet addicts” gather to share their addiction. The social sites, whether accessed from the home system or from a cyber café, point visitors to interesting blog posts, informative articles and differing opinions. Debate is a part of the social media experience in the West. The outcome? A more closed society and a government that views Internet connectivity along with engagement through web-based, social media sites as a threat. About one-quarter of the Chinese population use the web regularly.Three-quarters are connected to the web through home-based systems. However, 4% log on at Internet cafes in major cities and in the countryside. These hot spots that enable web connectivity have become hot spots for another reason in China. Internet café owners unscrupulously entice young teens to visit their establishments by providing preloaded porn videos along with free access to gambling sites and game sites. These activities are considered unproductive in a society in which productivity has made China a world leader in the manufacture of goods. The Internet in the West The World Wide Web (W) is viewed quite differently in Western nations. Starbucks, a popular coffee chain, is known as an Internet hot spot. Starbucks’ customers can log on to the Internet freely, keeping these customers in place drinking espresso, lattes and other coffee concoctions at sometimes shocking prices. For this reason, use of the Internet – especially among the young in cyber cafes, is considered fun – play, not work. It’s also viewed as a threat to a stillguarded government that, while encouraging selfimprovement and commercial entrepreneurialship, still controls what citizens read or view on the web. In addition to national chains, like Starbucks, each Many sites are simply banned. small town in North America and Europe has its own cyber café with names like Molten Java,The Java Baidu, the Chinese version of Google in the West, Joint and Beans. These web hot spots are gathering limits search results according to government edict. places for cyber-savvy web users. They’re places in As a result, the government in China not only conwhich discussions, debates and the exchange of trols the ability to engage others around the world, ideas and opinions are simply part of the coffee it protects itself from what government officials house experience. view as threats to the stability of the Chinese status quo. In fact, some of these local coffee houses hold regular meetings to discuss issues of the day (and, of course, to sell more coffee and snacks). 4 www.digitaldaya.com