Internet Censorship and Control

The Internet is and has always been a space where participants battle for control. The two core protocols that define the Internet – TCP and IP – are both designed to allow separate networks to connect to each other easily, so that networks that differ not only in hardware implementation (wired vs. satellite vs. radio networks) but also in their politics of control (consumer vs. research vs. military networks) can interoperate easily. It is a feature of the Internet, not a bug, that China – with its extensive, explicit censorship infrastructure – can interact with the rest of the Internet.

Today we have released an open-access collection (also published as a special issue of IEEE Internet Computing), of five peer reviewed papers on the topic of Internet censorship and control, edited by Hal Roberts and myself (Steven Murdoch). The topics of the papers include a broad look at information controls, censorship of microblogs in China, new modes of online censorship, the balance of power in Internet governance, and control in the certificate authority model.

These papers make it clear that there is no global consensus on what mechanisms of control are best suited for managing conflicts on the Internet, just as there is none for other fields of human endeavour. That said, there is optimism that with vigilance and continuing efforts to maintain transparency the Internet can stay as a force for increasing freedom than a tool for more efficient repression.

2 thoughts on “Internet Censorship and Control

  1. With regard to internet censorship, please note that ISPs like O2 block hundreds of sites deealing with men’s issues, calling them “hate sites”. For example, check out …

    http://dvmen.co.uk

    … a site that tries to help men who are the victims of domestic violence.

    It is labelled a “hate site” by O2.

    See here …

    http://urlchecker.o2.co.uk/urlcheck.aspx

    Hundreds of men’s sites are blocked – many of which are to do with helping men who are feeling suicidal.

    Please note that these sites are blocked via Symantec – an American company dominated by feminist-inspired misandry.

    These sites are, of course, also blocked by the “parental control” filters. Fair enough. But they are also ALL blocked at a higher level by fraudulently calling them “hate sites.”

    This is not an error by O2 and Symantec.

    They know that we have been annoyed by this for almost a year. And they have stated that they do not intend to change their policy.

    Also, please see this to see why we should be taking a stand against Page 3 and the tabloids.

    How The Tabloids Promote Child Abuse –

    http://tinyurl.com/npzju94

    Best,

    Thank you for your time.

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