China blinked.

After a tense week China dismantled firewalls preventing journalists from accessing sites like Amnesty Interational, Human Rights Watch and those associated with Falung Gong.

It shows how important these Games are to China.

In the showdown one side was bound to lose face. The IOC (International Olympic Committee) was looking like a goose for “we knew-we didn’t know” stories. The Chinese looked….like they usually do (authoritative, strict, unrepentant, stone-faced).

China’s decision to allow unfettered Internet access hows the depths of their desire for a perfect Olympic Games.

In times of crisis, there’s an advantage to moving quickly. Compare the Internet conundrum to the Iguana-gate story of the other month. By failing to rapidly and honestly deal with the situation, Della Bosca and Neal have effectively ruined their political careers (see my earlier post - “The -Gate Suffix Means Bad News”).

For public relations practitioners the lesson is clear. Be fast. Demonstrate action. And if you’re wrong, undo the earlier decision. The media moves on and all recall you did the right thing.