China’s government won’t be loosening internet censorship after all, according to report

Rumors of relaxed internet censorship in China appear to be unfounded. Earlier this week, the South China Morning Post reported that the “Great Firewall,” which blocks access to popular web destinations like Facebook and Twitter in mainland China, would be lifted inside the special Shanghai free trade zone. The measure was described as a way to make travelers feel more at home, which would in turn (ideally) stimulate overseas investment and trade.

But apparently China’s regime doesn’t want visitors reading The New York Times after all — even in the free trade zone. The People’s Daily is disputing those initial reports, insisting that “internet management measures” inside the Shanghai zone will be identical to those elsewhere in China. The state-run media outlet also emphasized that the government plans to clamp down on any pornography, gambling, drugs, and smuggling within the Shanghai free trade zone, according to The Register. Sadly, it seems those relaxed policies were too good to be true; the censorship China has developed a reputation for isn’t going away anytime soon.