The document discusses China's approach to internet governance and censorship, which it refers to as "cybertarianism" or "networked authoritarianism". It describes China's strict censorship policies and techniques, including the "Great Firewall" and paid commentators. However, it also notes that the government recognizes the internet's importance and occasionally permits limited discussion to understand public opinions. The document questions whether countries are moving towards more "authoritarian" or "democratic" models of internet policy and raises issues around balancing security, commerce and free expression globally.
Can authoritarianism survive the Internet? Yes it can...
1. Cybertarianism:
China and the future
of the Internet
a talk to the World Press Freedom
Committee by Rebecca MacKinnon
Open Society Fellow
Co-founder, Global Voices Online
(globalvoicesonline.org)
14. Glasnost? Not so fast...
Wang Xiaofeng:
people are getting too
emotional .. “...without a
proper [political] structure all
Premier Wen can do is interact
with people on an emotional
level...”
15. Glasnost? Not so fast...
Wang Xiaofeng: “Due to certain problems Wang Xiaofengʼs blog is
people are getting too closed temporarily (for a few days)”
emotional .. “...without a
proper [political] structure all
Premier Wen can do is interact
with people on an emotional
level...”
16. Imprisoned
Online political organizers
Liu Xiaobo
Huang Qi
Tan Zuoren Zeng Jinyan & Hu Jia
17. Censorship by Chinese blog-hosting companies
Tianya blog service:
Blog post about
“Tiananmen Mothers”
18. CENSORED
Your post “Tiananmen mothers organization publishes a
website” has been successfully submitted! Because it
contains sensitive words, please wait for the community
editors to approve it. Please donʼt re-post. Thank you.
22. Riot in Wengʼan county, Guizhou province, Julyʼ08
Summer 2008 marked a shift in
official media strategy: let
official news agencies cover
bad breaking stories to get the
official version out quickly, then
censor unofficial versions.
23. Networked authoritarianism:
“cyber-tarianism”
President Hu Jintao (June 2008):
“We pay great attention to
suggestions and advice from our
netizens. ...The web is an
important channel for us to
understand the concerns of the
public and assemble the wisdom
of the public.”
24. Networked authoritarianism:
“cyber-tarianism”
President Hu Jintao (June 2008):
“We pay great attention to
suggestions and advice from our
netizens. ...The web is an
important channel for us to
understand the concerns of the
public and assemble the wisdom
of the public.”
• “Authoritarian deliberation” (Yongnian Zheng)
Technological Empowerment: The Internet, State, and Society in China
http://video.sina.com.cn/news/c/v/2008-06-20/105617742.shtml
27. ...and in the UK...
"All computers should
be provided with net
filtering software loaded
- and the default
position for such filters
should be on."
--Miranda Suit, co-
founder, Mediamarch
As quoted in The Register, 11 June 2009: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/06/11/censorship_middle_way/print.html
Photo source: http://www.christianchoice.cpaparty.org.uk/?page=map&id=10
29. We are building a global layer
between citizens and government
Government
Citizen
30. We are building a global layer
between citizens and government
Government
Web & IT
services
Citizen
31. We are building a global layer
between citizens and government
Government
Web & IT
services
Citizen
32. We are building a global layer
between citizens and government
Government
Web & IT
services
Citizen
33. Global “Internet Governance” Bodies
• Law enforcement
• Child protection
• Intellectual property
• Free expression?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/seiitiarata/4124482654/in/set-72157622728072417
34. IGF 2009: Open Net Initiativeʼs
censorship poster censored
http://twitpic.com/pmaku
35. Suzanne Mubarak presents
“cyber peace initiative”
"Preparing Young
Generations in the
Digital Age: A Shared
Responsibility."
MOU with Family
Online Safety Institute
(FOSI):
“demonstrates the huge
strides the Egyptian
Government has made in
creating a safer, better
Internet for its citizens” -
David Miles, FOSI
Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/seiitiarata/4114084863/in/pool-1062424@N22
MOU press release: http://smwipm.cyberpeaceinitiative.org/downloads/0000/0309/Press_release_Fosi_CPI.pdf
Ministry press release: http://www.mcit.gov.eg/PressreleaseDetailes.aspx?id=8kObd0NVYzg=&scroll=Releases