69 lines
4.6 KiB
Text
69 lines
4.6 KiB
Text
---
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title: The World Wide Web
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sidebar_position: 20
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---
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The web has become an integral part of everyday life[^1].
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As many use it as their primary source of news, many governments are employing various techniques to control online
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content just as they have with literature, newspapers, radio, and television in the past.
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Publishing content online has a far lower barrier to entry than publishing a book or a newspaper, or operating a radio
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station.
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This democratization of content creation has led to an explosion of diverse voices and perspectives, but has also
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become a target for censorship as governments wish to suppress content they find undesirable.
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Web content is also consumed differently to that published by traditional means.
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To read an article online, there is a one-to-one exchange between the reader's device and the publisher's server.
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This exchange needs to be carried over one or more Internet Service Provider (ISP) networks.
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And so, privacy and online censorship become linked: it is impossible to implement this censorship
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without a device that knows what the reader has requested in order to decide whether to
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allow access.
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Below are some notable examples of contemporary censorship efforts:
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* The Great Firewall of **China** (GFW) is a sophisticated system of censorship and surveillance implemented by the
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Chinese government.
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The GFW isolates Chinese internet users from global discourse, limiting exposure to foreign ideas and
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information that contradict the state narrative.
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These pervasive surveillance capabilities have also lead to self-censorship, where users are afraid
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to search for dissenting views and ideas.[^2]
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* In recent years, **Russia** has enacted stringent media laws aimed at controlling the flow of information.
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The government has the authority to block websites and remove content deemed "extremist" or harmful to state
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interests.
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These measures have led to a significant decline in independent journalism and a stifling of free expression, as many
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journalists have fled the country to avoid facing harassment or legal repercussions for their work.[^3]
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* **Turkey** has increasingly employed censorship to control media narratives and suppress dissent,
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and frequently blocks access to social media platforms during times of unrest or political sensitivity.
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Authorities can order the removal of content that is critical of the government or its policies.
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Journalists and citizens face prosecution for "insulting" the president or spreading "terrorist propaganda".[^4]
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* **Iran** employs extensive censorship, particularly regarding political and social issues.
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The government blocks access to numerous websites, including social media platforms and news outlets that do not align
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with state ideology.
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Online activities are closely monitored, with authorities tracking users' communications and internet usage, fostering
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an environment of fear and repression.
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Individuals who share dissenting views online can face imprisonment or other severe penalties.[^5]
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All of these countries, however, rely on web access to support economic activity.
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Being able to send and receive emails is a critical capability to engage with modern business, to send a purchase order,
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to receive an invoice, or to request a price list.
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eCommerce, electronic funds transfer, electronic data interchange for billing and shipping, and automated stock exchange
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platforms all rely on an internet connection.
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It is this fact that supports the main advantage against online censorship: **Collateral Freedom**.
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[^1]: International Telecommunication Union World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database.
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"Individuals using the Internet". https://www.itu.int/en/ITU-D/Statistics/Pages/stat/default.aspx.
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Accessed on 25th May 2025.
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[^2]: Zhong, Z. J., Wang, T., & Huang, M. (2017). Does the Great Fire Wall cause self-censorship? The effects of
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perceived internet regulation and the justification of regulation.
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Internet Research, 27(4), 974-990. https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/intr-07-2016-0204/full/html
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[^3]: Yablokov, I., & Gatov, V. (2025). Broadcasting through the (New) Iron Curtain: Practices, Challenges, and Legacies
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of Russia's Independent Media in Exile. Journalism Studies, 1-18.
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https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/epdf/10.1080/1461670X.2025.2462550
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[^4]: Över, D., & Tuncer-Ebetürk, I. (2022). Insult, Charisma, and Legitimacy: Turkey's Transition to Personalist Rule.
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Social & Legal Studies, 31(5), 773-795. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/09646639211073652
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[^5]: Freedom House. "Freedom of the Net 2023: Iran". https://freedomhouse.org/country/iran/freedom-net/2023.
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Accessed on 25th May 2025.
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