Review: Two Books Examine Internet Control and Digital Freedom in China and North Korea
By
Buy on Bookshop.org
Summary
A review essay examining two new books about internet control and censorship in China and North Korea. The article explores what it means to be free online under authoritarian regimes, drawing on the author's personal experience of Facebook being blocked in China in 2009. It analyzes how both countries construct digital surveillance systems and control narratives, while citizens find creative ways to navigate these restrictions.
Source
Twitter / XReview: Two Books Examine Internet Control and Digital Freedom in China and North Korealareviewofbooks.orgKey quotes
· 3 pulledI REMEMBER THE DAY Facebook was blocked in China. I had been living there for nearly a year when, one morning in the summer of 2009, I received an error message.
It was not entirely surprising; censorship of foreign websites had been slowly increasing over the past year. But it felt particularly dispiriting.
Facebook was the primary way I kept in touch with my family and friends back in the United States and connected with a variety of communities around the world.
You might also wanna read
Dancing in China's Digital Space: Creativity and Innovation Beyond the Great Firewall
This article/podcast episode examines how Chinese citizens navigate and innovate within the constraints of the Great Firewall and state-cont
madeinchinajournal.com·29d agoRoskomnadzor intensifies foreign website blocks, pushing Runet toward Chinese-style internet censorship
The article discusses how Roskomnadzor has sharply intensified blocking of foreign internet resources since early 2026, making thousands of
Lessons from Fighting Internet Censorship in Iran and Russia: Tor Project's 2025 Experience
The article discusses lessons learned from fighting internet censorship in Iran and Russia in 2025, focusing on Tor Project's anti-censorshi
forum.torproject.org·5mo ago
Iran uses Chinese censorship hardware to permanently restrict internet access
Iran is using Chinese-imported hardware to strengthen its internet censorship capabilities, effectively cutting off most citizens from the w
semafor.com·1mo ago
The Erosion of User Freedom in Modern Computing: From Complete Control to Locked-Down Systems
The article examines the gradual erosion of user freedom in computing, contrasting the early days of microcomputers where users had complete
hackaday.com·8mo ago
How App Stores Enable Corporate-Government Censorship and Threaten Free Speech
The article examines how app stores and mobile operating systems enable corporate-government censorship by controlling what apps users can a
aclu.org·7mo ago
Comments
Sign in to join the conversation.
No comments yet. Be the first.