In January, Peng was convicted of buying sex from prostitutes and sentenced to 18 months in a labor camp. Dissidents believe that Peng was framed. Despite the government's attempts to limit Internet content, determined users can easily bypass government censorship. Individuals can access banned sites by using proxy servers, which can be easily found on Web search engines. E-mail accounts are almost impossible to track.
People often ignore the law requiring all Net users to register with the government.
Chinese officials know that they can do little to stop determined individuals from sending banned material over the Internet. Instead, they prosecute only a few people to discourage dissent on the Net. However, these measures are unlikely to deter dissidents from using the Internet. Spurred on by Lin Hai's conviction, V.I.P. Reference is more determined than ever to publish.