Anyone in China wishing to download some music through iTunes was greatly disappointed earlier this week when the Apple’s iTunes Music Store locked up, banning people from logging into the service.
Despite the Olympics, China has blocked access to Apple, Inc.’s iTunes Store because customers in China fear the online store has been blocked after a pro-Tibet album – “Songs of Tibet,” which includes a message from the Dalai Lama featured on the site became a hit.
China may be open to the Olympics, but the government closed off access to the popular Web site in the country, apparently in response to reports that dozens of Olympic athletes were among those who had gone there to download an album promoting freedom for Tibet.
According to the album’s sponsoring organization, the lockout began on Monday; the day after the organization Art of Peace Foundation released a 20-track album “Songs for Tibet — The Art of Peace” on iTunes in support of Tibet. Art of Peace also claimed over 40 Olympian athletes from North America, Europe and China downloaded it “as an act of solidarity with Tibet” before the shutdown.
The New York-based Art of Peace Foundation has charged the Chinese government with trying to block access to Songs for Tibet, which features music by Sting, Moby, John Mayer, Dave Matthews, Alanis Morissette, Garbage and others, as well as 15 minutes of talking by exiled Tibetan leader the Dalai Lama.
Apple said it is looking into the action against the iTunes Store, while the Art of Peace Foundation said China has also jailed 1,000 Tibetan monks and pointed to a “secret” Internet agreement.
Millions of Chinese citizens use the internet for education and business, but the government sometimes tries to block access to sites run by dissidents and human rights and Tibet activists.
China.org, the government’s official Internet Information Center, said in a post this week that Chinese citizens find the album Songs Of Tibet, available for download from iTunes, offensive.
It claimed that China’s “netizens,” who rank first among the world’s nations in sheer numbers, have called for a boycott of all Apple products, including the iPhone, even though it is not yet available in China. The site also said China’s Internet users want to bar the album’s singers, from entering China.
China.org publishes government position papers, offers government-approved news, and serves as the Chinese government’s Internet portal.
The group has described China’s blocking of Internet sites that it dislikes as “The Great Firewall of China,” and it has called the album “a celebration of Tibet and the Dalai Lama’s philosophy of peace, nonviolence and compassion.”
The Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, which has authority over Internet use, has not responded to requests from news media for comments.
One user on Apple’s discussion boards published what he said was a response from “Bryan,” whom the user identified as an iTunes support rep. Bryan, according to the user, said Apple did not block iTunes access for users in China but added that the iTunes Store is restricted in parts of the country.
“I would advise that you contact your ISP about this matter,” Bryan stated. “Please note though that accessing the U.S. iTunes store outside of the geographic region of the United States is not supported, and attempting to access it while in China is at your own risk.”
Apple has told reporters that it is aware of China’s actions, but is unable to comment at this time.