Social networking liberating Chinese citizens?

An article Friday's New York Times reports how nearly 26 million messages have been posted on Weibo about the high-speed train crash Thursday that killed 39 people and injured 192. Weibo (prounounced way-bore) is the Chinese equivalent to Twitter and is more closely related to a Facebook/Twitter mashup than just a Twitter knock-off. Chinese government officials immediately began covering up details of the crash, censoring the initials Weibo postings and burying train cars even as the wounded were being rescued and treated. However, because of the incredible speed that social networking tools can spread a story the Chinese government could not stop the immediate forwarding of weibos and the corruption surrounding the tragedy began to leak out. China is now apologizing and promising those responsible will pay for their misdeeds. China originally blamed the tragedy on the weather, but now has said it was faulty equipment and poor training. Japan has had high speed rail for years and never had one fatality.