U.S. pollution data on Beijing blocked on mobile app

All the sky-clearing measures plus cooperation from the weather kept Beijing relatively free of air pollution for most of a seven-day Asia-Pacific conference. Then, toward the end as top leaders met, the smog crept back.

So, China went to Plan B: Censor the pollution monitors.

See also: China's Pollution in Photos

Many Beijingers get up-to-the moment updates on pollution — including levels of the dangerous PM2.5 particles — by monitoring websites and mobile phone apps. Usually these provide two sets of readings, one from Beijing city authorities and one from the U.S. Embassy, with the latter considered by many to be the more trustworthy. Read more...

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