How China censors the internet

South China Morning Post

24 Apr 201902:36

Summary

TLDRThis video discusses China's strict control over the internet, contrasting it with the more open web in the West. China operates a complex censorship system, blocking access to foreign websites like Facebook and Twitter, and censoring sensitive topics such as Taiwan, Tibet, and Tiananmen Square. Chinese internet users face heavy surveillance, with real-name registration required for online activities. Internet companies are compelled to store user data locally and allow government inspections. The video highlights the differences in online privacy and freedom of speech between China and the West, where such topics are more debated.

Takeaways

🌐 China's government tightly controls the flow of information on the internet, unlike the debates over internet freedom in the West.
🛑 Many foreign websites, including Facebook, Twitter, and The New York Times, are blocked in China due to government censorship.
🔍 China filters internet content by blocking certain search results and information deemed sensitive, such as topics on Taiwan, Tibet, and the Tiananmen Square incident.
🚫 The censorship machine in China is highly complex, creating a restricted version of the global internet often referred to as an intranet.
👨‍💻 China has developed domestic alternatives to popular foreign platforms, such as social media sites, but these are also heavily controlled by the government.
👥 Chinese internet companies are required to hire large teams of human censors to monitor and control user-generated content, sometimes compared to 'sanitation workers' for cyberspace.
🕵️‍♂️ Chinese internet users are not anonymous; real names, national IDs, and phone numbers are mandatory for registering on platforms like chat apps, forums, and video games.
📁 Chinese internet companies are obligated to store user data on local servers and must provide access to authorities upon request.
🔒 While the West debates privacy and freedom of speech online, Chinese users are accustomed to a heavily monitored and controlled internet environment.
👀 The Chinese government has been closely monitoring its citizens' internet activities for a long time, ensuring that no activity goes unnoticed.

Q & A

What is the primary point of debate about the internet in the West?
-The primary debate in the West revolves around the free flow of information on the internet, with concerns about censorship and privacy.
How does China's approach to internet censorship differ from that in the West?
-In China, there is no debate about internet censorship; the government maintains strict control over what people can access and see online, unlike the more open discourse on internet freedom in the West.
What is meant by the phrase 'the Chinese internet is more like an intranet'?
-This phrase suggests that China's internet is heavily restricted and isolated from the global web, functioning more like a controlled, internal network due to censorship and filtering systems.
What happens when someone tries to access blocked websites like Facebook or Twitter from within China?
-When users try to access blocked websites such as Facebook or Twitter in China, they receive a message indicating that the content is unavailable.
What are some examples of prominent taboos that are censored on the Chinese internet?
-The Chinese government censors topics like Taiwan, Tibet, and the 1989 Tiananmen Square incident. These subjects are blocked or heavily filtered in search results within China.
How does China's censorship affect social media platforms?
-China blocks foreign social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter, but has created its own alternatives. These domestic platforms are also tightly controlled, and content is censored by human moderators.
How do internet companies in China manage online content?
-Chinese internet companies are required to employ large teams of human censors who monitor and remove user-generated content that is deemed inappropriate or illegal by the government.
What measures are in place to ensure the Chinese government can track internet users?
-Internet users in China are required to register on chat apps, discussion forums, and video games using their real name, national ID number, and phone number, making anonymity on the web nearly impossible.
What is required of Chinese internet companies in terms of data storage?
-Chinese internet companies are required to store user data on local servers and provide authorities access to inspect the data when necessary.
How does the Chinese government's control over the internet affect user privacy and freedom of speech?
-China’s strict internet regulations mean that users have very limited privacy and freedom of speech online, as the government closely monitors and controls all online activity.

Outlines

00:00

🌐 China's Tight Internet Control and Censorship

The video discusses the stark difference in how the internet is regulated in China versus the West. While the West engages in debates about information freedom, China imposes strict government control over what its citizens can access online. The Chinese government's censorship apparatus is extensive, making the global 'world wide web' not so wide for its population. It is often referred to as an 'intranet' due to the number of restrictions on foreign websites, including popular platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and major news outlets such as The New York Times, which are blocked in China.

🚫 Censorship of Sensitive Topics and Internet Regulation

China's censorship goes beyond blocking websites; the government bans certain content entirely, particularly anything related to sensitive political topics, such as Taiwan, Tibet, and the Tiananmen Square incident. The example provided illustrates that while a search for 'Tiananmen Square' in Hong Kong yields results about the 1989 incident, the same search in mainland China produces filtered content with no mention of the event. This reflects the broader effort to control not only access to information but also the narrative surrounding politically sensitive issues.

🛠 Chinese Alternatives to Global Platforms and Their Monitoring

China has developed domestic alternatives to blocked social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. However, these Chinese platforms are subject to intense government oversight. Internet companies in China are legally required to monitor and censor user-generated content. This responsibility is carried out by vast teams of human censors employed by these companies. One such company reportedly employs 1,200 individuals whose role is likened to being 'sanitation workers' for the digital space, indicating the scale and intensity of content policing.

🆔 Real-Name Registration and Surveillance on the Chinese Web

The concept of online anonymity is almost non-existent in China. All internet users must provide personal information, such as their real name, national ID number, and phone number, when registering for online services like chat apps, discussion forums, or video games. This real-name registration system enables the government to closely monitor online activity and further restrict the freedom of speech online.

🔐 Data Storage and Government Access

China also mandates that internet companies store user data on servers located within the country, allowing government authorities to inspect this data whenever they deem it necessary. This serves as another layer of control over the internet, ensuring that user data is readily accessible for surveillance. While privacy and free speech are key concerns in the West, Chinese internet users are well aware that the government has long been watching their online activities closely.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Free flow of information

This concept refers to the unrestricted exchange of data and ideas over the internet. In the video, the 'free flow of information' is described as a major point of debate in the West, where people argue about privacy and freedom of speech online. However, in China, this is not up for discussion as the government maintains strict control over what information can be accessed.

💡Censorship

Censorship refers to the suppression or restriction of access to information or content. In China, censorship is heavily enforced by the government, which filters internet access, blocks foreign websites like Facebook and Twitter, and bans content related to sensitive political topics such as Taiwan, Tibet, and the Tiananmen Square protests.

💡Three Ts (Taiwan, Tibet, Tiananmen)

The 'Three Ts' are politically sensitive topics in China that are heavily censored online. Taiwan refers to the debate about its sovereignty; Tibet involves issues of autonomy and human rights; and Tiananmen refers to the 1989 protests. The video explains that searches for these terms in China are censored or return no relevant results, demonstrating the government's control over politically sensitive discussions.

💡Intranet

An intranet is a private network that operates in a limited scope. The video describes China’s internet as more like an intranet due to the extensive censorship and filtering mechanisms that make it difficult for users to access content from outside China, effectively isolating the country’s digital ecosystem.

💡Internet filtering system

This is a system used to block or restrict access to certain websites or content online. The video describes how China uses a complex filtering system to censor foreign websites like Facebook, Twitter, and major news outlets like The New York Times, preventing Chinese citizens from accessing content that the government deems inappropriate or politically sensitive.

💡Human censors

Human censors are individuals employed to manually monitor and remove content that violates certain rules or laws. In China, internet companies are required to employ large teams of human censors, with one company mentioned in the video having 1,200 employees whose job is to ensure that online content adheres to government regulations.

💡Real-name registration

This policy requires users to provide their real names, national ID numbers, and phone numbers to register for online services. In China, this practice is enforced on chat apps, discussion forums, and even video games, ensuring that users cannot remain anonymous online. It is a key tool in the government’s efforts to monitor and control internet activity.

💡Local data storage

Local data storage refers to the requirement that companies store user data on servers located within the country’s borders. In China, internet companies must store their data on local servers and allow government authorities to inspect them whenever necessary, ensuring the state has access to user information as part of its surveillance efforts.

💡Privacy and freedom of speech

These are fundamental rights often associated with internet use in the West, where debates focus on how to balance privacy and free expression. In contrast, the video emphasizes that in China, these rights are heavily restricted as the government prioritizes control and surveillance, leading to an environment where 'Big Brother' is always watching.

💡Big Brother

‘Big Brother’ is a term borrowed from George Orwell's novel *1984*, symbolizing government surveillance and control. In the video, it is used to describe the Chinese government’s constant monitoring of its citizens’ online activity. It captures the theme of pervasive government oversight in China's internet ecosystem, where users are aware that their actions are being closely watched.

Highlights

In China, the government maintains tight control over what people can and can't see on the Internet, restricting the free flow of information.

China runs the world's most complicated censorship machine, often referred to as an 'intranet' rather than an Internet due to its limitations.

Popular Western websites like Facebook and Twitter are blocked in China, making them inaccessible to users within the country.

China censors content by passing laws that ban material deemed illegal or inappropriate, with sensitive topics including Taiwan, Tibet, and Tiananmen.

Searching for topics like Tiananmen Square inside China yields filtered results that make no mention of sensitive political events like the 1989 protests.

China has created domestic alternatives to popular blocked social media platforms, but these are also subject to stringent government censorship.

Chinese internet companies are required to employ large teams of human censors to monitor and regulate user-generated content on their platforms.

One Chinese company employs 1,200 censors whose job is described as similar to being 'sanitation workers' for cyberspace.

The Chinese government mandates real-name registration for online activities, requiring users to provide their national ID and phone numbers.

Chat apps, discussion forums, and even video games in China require users to provide personal information for monitoring.

Internet companies in China must store user data on local servers, allowing government authorities to access this data when necessary.

The control over user data storage and accessibility underscores the pervasive surveillance system in China.

Despite global debates about online privacy and freedom of speech, Chinese users are well aware that they are being monitored at all times.

China’s strict internet censorship has been in place for a long time, and citizens are accustomed to this reality.

The Chinese government's surveillance and control over the internet create an environment where 'Big Brother' is always watching.