...says Paul Denlinger at China Vortex, reacting to Thomas Crampton's recent online video discussion with Oiwan Lam on the 50 Cent Tribe:

The biggest difference between astroturfing and censorship: astroturfing is a PR term and censorship is a political term. Astroturfing is a PR tactic which can be used for either political or commercial ends; censorship is always used for political ends. Using censorship with reference to China is a politically charged term because many critics of Chinese government policy like to use it to satisfy their own political agendas. Other people are entitled to their own political views re Chinese government policy, just as I’m entitled to mine. Everybody has a right to their own opinions. What I do criticize is abuse of terminology in order to score political points when in fact what is being used is a PR tactic.

Imagethief has a lot of time for Oiwan Lam and also enjoys Thomas Crampton's blog. But Paul has an interesting point.