How Internet Censorship Works
Summary
TLDRThe video script discusses internet censorship, revealing it's not limited to authoritarian regimes but occurs globally. It explains how private corporations and ISPs act as gatekeepers, influenced by governments or their own initiatives. Examples include China's self-discipline awards for internet companies and actions by Google, Facebook, Flickr, and Apple. The script emphasizes the importance of transparency and awareness, encouraging reporting censorship to HER.ORG.
Takeaways
- 🌐 The internet is not as free and open as it seems; it's controlled by private corporations.
- 🏢 In China, the government instructs ISPs and content hosts to police the internet and rewards companies that contribute to a 'harmonious' internet.
- 🏆 Companies like Robin Li's Baidu have received 'self-discipline awards' for their role in Chinese internet censorship.
- 🗳️ Censorship isn't limited to authoritarian regimes; it also occurs in Western democracies.
- 🔍 Google has been transparent about government requests to block or remove content, releasing data about these requests.
- 📊 The Open Net Initiative research shows state-sponsored internet censorship in dozens of countries, not just authoritarian ones.
- 📢 ISPs and platforms act as intermediaries, sometimes censoring content due to government pressure or their own initiatives.
- 📸 Facebook and Flickr have been known to remove content, sometimes for violating their own community guidelines or terms of service.
- 🍎 Apple exercises strict control over its App Store, removing apps for various reasons, including public pressure and their own discretion.
- 🚫 Censorship can be dangerous for a healthy society, as it limits information flow and can be influenced by risk-averse corporate policies.
- 🌍 Awareness of global censorship is crucial; if you encounter blocked content, report it to help.org to increase transparency.
Q & A
What is the main issue discussed in the script?
-The script discusses the issue of internet censorship and how it is not limited to authoritarian regimes but also occurs in Western democracies. It highlights how private corporations play a significant role in controlling what users can see and say on the internet.
How does the Chinese government approach internet censorship?
-The Chinese government actively instructs internet service providers and content hosts to police their services. They even award companies that contribute to a 'harmonious and healthy internet' with 'internet self-discipline awards'.
What is the role of private sector companies in Chinese internet censorship?
-In China, private sector companies act as an extension of state power, carrying out censorship and surveillance primarily through internet service providers and platforms.
Why did Google start releasing data about government requests?
-Google started releasing data about government requests to increase transparency and inform the public about the challenges companies face when governments ask them to block or remove content.
What challenges do internet service providers face regarding government requests?
-Internet service providers face challenges in maintaining transparency and balancing legal requirements with ethical considerations when governments ask them to block or remove content.
How does the lack of transparency affect the understanding of internet censorship?
-The lack of transparency makes it difficult for the public to know what governments are requesting from companies and how companies are responding, which can lead to a misunderstanding of the extent and nature of internet censorship.
What examples are given of private companies controlling information flow?
-Examples include Facebook removing pictures of protests, Flickr deleting uploaded photos of Egyptian police officers, and Apple exercising control over their App Store by filtering apps based on various criteria.
Why did Apple remove the 'baby shaking game' from its App Store?
-Apple removed the 'baby shaking game' from its App Store due to public pressure and concerns about the game promoting child abuse, which is associated with 'shaking baby syndrome'.
What is the significance of the app 'Freedom Time' mentioned in the script?
-The app 'Freedom Time' was a countdown timer to the end of George W. Bush's presidential term. Apple removed it from the App Store, illustrating how companies can censor content that might be controversial or politically sensitive.
Why is it important to be aware of internet censorship practices worldwide?
-Being aware of internet censorship practices is important because it helps individuals understand the limitations of online freedom and the potential biases in the information they access. It also encourages transparency and can lead to more informed discussions about internet governance.
What can people do if they suspect internet censorship?
-If people suspect internet censorship, they can report it to organizations like Herdict to help make censorship more transparent. Additionally, they can visit websites like the Berkman Klein Center for more information on the topic.
Outlines
🌐 Internet Censorship and Corporate Control
The paragraph discusses the reality of internet censorship and how it's not limited to authoritarian regimes. It explains that while the internet is often perceived as a free and open space, it is largely controlled by private corporations. The script mentions China's active role in instructing internet service providers and content hosts to police their services, even awarding companies that contribute to a 'harmonious and healthy internet'. The CEO of Baidu, Robin Li, is highlighted as a recipient of such an award. The paragraph also points out that similar censorship occurs in Western democracies, with internet service providers receiving requests from governments to block or remove content. Google's transparency reports, which detail government requests for content takedowns, are mentioned as a commendable step towards openness. The paragraph emphasizes the role of corporations as intermediaries that can be pressured to censor content, not just by governments but also due to their own initiatives or risk aversion.
🚫 Corporate Censorship and Its Impact on Society
This paragraph delves into the dangers of corporate censorship, where companies like Apple, Facebook, and Flickr are shown to have removed content based on various reasons, including legal, ethical, and their own policies. The script recounts specific instances, such as Facebook removing pictures from protests in Brazil and Flickr deleting photos of Egyptian police officers. It also discusses Apple's control over its App Store, citing the removal of an app that was simply a countdown to the end of George W. Bush's presidency. The paragraph concludes by stressing that censorship is a global issue, not confined to authoritarian states, and encourages viewers to report such incidents to help.org to increase transparency. It also directs viewers to the Berkman website for more information on the topic.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Censorship
💡Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
💡Content Hosts
💡State Power
💡Private Sector
💡Transparency
💡Self-Discipline Award
💡Open Net Initiative
💡Freedom of Information
💡Ethical Considerations
💡Community Rules
Highlights
The internet is not as free and open as one might think.
Private corporations control what you can say or see on the internet.
In China, the government instructs internet service providers to police their services.
Chinese companies receive 'internet self-discipline awards' for contributing to a 'harmonious' internet.
Private sector companies in China act as an extension of state power in internet censorship.
Censorship is not limited to authoritarian regimes; it occurs in Western democracies as well.
Google started releasing data about government requests for content removal in 2010.
There is a lack of transparency regarding government requests to companies.
ISPs often remove or block content when governments ask, and sometimes without prompting.
Private companies control the flow of information on their platforms for various reasons.
Facebook removed pictures of protests in Brazil, including barechested women, for violating community standards.
Flickr was caught removing content, such as photos of Egyptian police officers, due to copyright violations.
Apple exercises severe control over their App Store, filtering apps for various reasons.
Apple removed an app counting down to the end of George W Bush's presidential term due to potential controversy.
Censorship is a global issue, not just confined to authoritarian regimes.
Online space is privately owned, and users are limited by what ISPs and content hosts allow.
If you can't access content, report it to help make censorship more transparent.
For more information on censorship, visit the Berkman website.
Transcripts
have you ever come across this kind of
error while surfing on the internet it
may be that the web page you're trying
to access has been
[Music]
censored contrary to popular belief the
internet is not as free and open as one
might think all of our activity on the
internet pass through the hands of
private corporations and they decide
what you can say or see on the internet
in China for example the government
actively instructs internet service
providers and their content hosts to
police their
services they even go as far as handing
out internet self-discipline Awards to
companies that contribute the most to a
harmonious and healthy internet
development and this is a ceremony I
attended in 2009 where um the the top 20
websites in China receive What's called
the self-discipline award and Robin Lee
the CEO of Buu was one of those
recipients um and so this is this is one
of the features of Chinese internet
censorship and surveillance that um it's
actually carried out primarily by
private sector companies and that the
the uh companies that run China's
internet services and platforms are
acting as an extension of state power it
may not surprise you that this kind of
censorship takes place in authoritarian
regimes but similar kinds of censorship
can also occur in western
democracies for many it began with China
that was the most public example that
was the place where the companies had
been named and shamed and otherwise um
uh uh uh publicly um taken to task um
but very quickly folks realized that it
wasn't just China that it was countries
around the world and in fact as we've
seen in the open net inititive research
it's dozens of countries um where state
sponsored internet censorship is
happening and it's not just
authoritarian regimes but it's in fact
Democratic Western regimes internet
service providers around the world
receive many requests from Western
governments to block or remove content
in 2010 Google started releasing data
about the requests they receive and how
often they comply one one of the great
challenges that we all face in this
space is a total lack of transparency as
to what governments are requesting of
companies how companies are responding
and um much to its credit uh Google has
uh released information about the
government requests it receives for
takedowns and made that public on a
country by country basis not quite in
real time but but in Fairly real time
and that's a really remarkable step in
giving us all a window into the
challenges that particular companies are
faced to address with uh the requests
they get from governments
we're talking about corporations that
serve as intermediaries platforms for
information flow between people and
among people and they may find
themselves in a position where they are
pressured or asked or
demanded that they not permit certain
information flows to take place the idea
would be look we're just a company if a
government asks us to do something and
we're on their Turf we usually have no
choice but to go ahead and censor isps
often remove or block content when
governments ask but they also do it
without prompting or
coersion there are many examples of how
private companies control the flow of
information on their platforms be it for
legal ethical economic or other reasons
shortly after the so-called walks
against male chauvinism in Brazil it was
reported that Facebook had removed
pictures of the protest including
barechested women these images have
since been leaded by Facebook for
violating the Declaration of Rights and
responsibilities as outlined by the
online service flicker as well was
caught removing content in early 2011
hosam El hamala discovered that Flickr
deleted his uploaded photos of police
officers from Egypt's State security
Force he later learned that this
happened because the pictures were taken
by someone else a violation of the
site's Community rules apple is also
known for the severe control they
exercise over their app store at its
launch in 2008 Steve Jobs announced that
the platform isn't open to every app for
a variety of reasons will there be
limitations of course there are going to
be some apps that we're not going to
distribute the ambiguous unforeseen in
particular gives Apple a free hand to
filter as they see fit somebody came up
with a baby shaking game on the iPhone
and offered it up in the store and then
a bunch of people said shaking baby
syndrome is a serious problem Apple do
the right thing get rid of it and apple
got rid of it and I think that can be
pretty dangerous because now you've got
highly risk averse companies like on the
margin what do they need this kind of
pressure for and they'll get rid of not
just shaking baby but as happened with
apple they got rid of an app that was
simply a countdown to the end of George
W Bush's presidential term oh that's all
it was was a timer um called uh Freedom
time to counting down to the end of an
error and instead of
era they didn't allow the app because
they don't want to get in the crossfire
and that's dangerous for a healthy
Society in short people often look at
the internet as a free and open public
space the reality however is that the
vast majority of online space is
privately owned online people are
limited to what internet service
providers and content hosts allow them
to do and see sometimes they restrict
content because of government pressure
but sometimes times they do it on their
own initiative we need to be aware that
censorship is not just something that
happens in authoritarian regimes but
actually occurs all over the world so be
aware you can't always stop these
practices but if you can't reach the
content you're looking for you can
report it to her.org to help make
censorship more
transparent for more information about
these kinds of censorship visit the
burkman website
[Music]
[Music]
[Music]
関連動画をさらに表示
Internet censorship in China | The Great Firewall of China | SHIFT
How China censors the internet
Forms of Government | World101
Miss "The Old Internet"? Here's How to Bring it Back.
How the end of net neutrality could change the internet
Hang on! Did the CIA Have Telegram's Founder Arrested? | Redacted w Natali and Clayton Morris
5.0 / 5 (0 votes)