This post inspired by some questions I saw on a mailing list and this time magazine article. I'll share my personal experience with the chinese firewall as I've experienced it on my own DSL line in Yunnan. These are just my personal opinions, so I wouldn't rely on them as advice of any sort. Quote:

the government has also deployed tens of thousands of Internet police to investigate online crimes

People I talk to in the bar always seem surprised by this fact. Personally I don't see how else they could do it.