China shuts windows against app, ‘Clubhouse’

China has slammed its window on social network, clubhouse, alleging that it has been compromised for political purposes.

Clubhouse like thousands of other websites and social media apps was blocked by the ruling party restricting the public from seeing it, using the world’s most extensive system of internet filters

The decision was made on Monday at about 7 p.m. as service was cut off in China, GreatFire.org, a U.S group monitoring Chinese internet filtering reports.

A foreign ministry spokesman, Wang Wenbin, denied knowledge of the ban on Clubhouse on Tuesday. According to him, the internet in China is open but is managed in accordance with relevant laws.

“We are determined to safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests and oppose foreign interference,” Wenbin said.

Clubhouse enabled many mainland users get their initial direct communication with people in Hong Kong and Taiwan and with exiles from the Uighur minority in the northwestern region of Xinjiang.

Sessions focused on Hong Kong’s pro-democracy protests and mass detentions of Uighurs and other minorities in Xinjiang attracted thousands of listeners.

While reacting to the clubhouse ban, Roger Huang, a Chinese-born Canadian entrepreneur, commended the app for the unifying role it played stating that he became addicted to the app when loads of Chinese users joined.

According to him, they had envisaged the government’s ban on the app long before they announced it.

“The moment mainlanders came on here, they wanted to talk politics. Everyone was trying to drink from the hose as much as possible. We were saying, is it going to be a week, is going to be a month, is it going to be tomorrow?”

Though there is no official announcement on whether the government would prosecute Chinese users, there are rumours the government might because clubhouse required new users to give their names and phone numbers.

Following the crackdown, there has been an outpour of displeasure by social media users in China who said the app gave them an opportunity to relate with people from other places.

Rachel Lee, who signed a note on the popular Sina Weibo service said “One thing I started to understand and agree with in Clubhouse is that it is normal for people to have different opinions, ideas and positions.

“Through communication, we can try to understand the situation of others. Although I have been blocked, I still hope that those who are capable will not give up the opportunity to go out and observe.”