SMS a security threat in China

Is this the classic case of "Big Brother is watching you"? Given that text messaging did have an impact on mobilising political support in the Philippines, and the way SMSes help to facilitate the gathering of flash mobs, it's no wonder the Chinese government is worried. But imagine the amount of national resources wasted having to monitor all the messaging activities that're going on!

Government officials in China this week began making daily inspections of short message service providers, including Web sites and the leading mobile phone companies, and had already fined 10 and forced 20 others to shut down for failing to properly police messages passing through their communication systems, the state-run news agency said.
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The move is the latest sign that while China has embraced Internet and mobile phone technology, the government has also substantially increased its surveillance of digital communications and adopted new methods of prohibiting people from getting unauthorized information about sensitive subjects.