Wikipedia and Blogspot unblocked

Both Wikipedia and blogs on Blogspot are accessible in Beijing today.

Great news. Of course, this might not last, judging from the on-again off-again access to these two websites over the last few years. Perhaps this is just an April Fool's joke from the Net Nanny.

Also, the Chinese language version of Wikipedia does not seem to be working. Below is Danwei's record of the ongoing harassment of Blogspot.

Blogspot unblocked and blocked again January 14, 2008
Blogspot blocked again — ongoing saga June 1, 2007
Blogspot unblocked again March 29, 2007
Foreign blog providers (including Blogspot) blocked March 20, 2007
Blogspot working in Beijing again November 23, 2006
Blogspot blocked again October 27, 2006
Blogspot unblocked August 9, 2006

- Blogspot was first blocked in 2003

Update: Ah an explanation! From an AP report published today on the International Herald Tribune's website:

The Internet must be open during the Beijing Olympics.

That was the message a top-ranking International Olympic Committee official delivered Tuesday to Beijing organizers during the first of three days of meetings, the last official sessions between IOC inspectors and the host Chinese before the games begin in just over four months...

...Kevan Gosper, vice chairman of the IOC coordinating commission, said blocking the Internet during the Games "would reflect very poorly" on the host nation.

"Even this morning we discussed and insisted again," Gosper said. "Our concern is that the press is able to operate as it has at previous games — at games time."

The article makes it clear that the IOC's demands are only that the Internet works during the Games; they are not concerned with what happens after everyone goes home.