China’s Great Firewall has become a symbol of its internet control, but the country’s anti-protest lockdown could be its toughest test yet. A group of protesters in China use their smartphones to record a scene of their demonstration. In an unprecedented move, Chinese authorities have ordered the country’s largest internet service providers to block access to hundreds of popular websites and apps, including news sites, social media, and messaging platforms. The move is seen as an attempt to quash the growing protests against the government’s zero-COVID policy. It marks a significant escalation in the government’s efforts to control the internet, and it could have far-reaching implications for freedom of expression and access to information in China..
The crackdown began on Sunday, November 27, when the government ordered China’s three largest internet service providers — China Mobile, China Unicom, and China Telecom — to block access to hundreds of websites and apps. The list of blocked sites includes some of the most popular news sites in China, such as Caixin, The Paper, and Sixth Tone, as well as social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. The government has also ordered the blocking of messaging platforms like WeChat and QQ, which are used by hundreds of millions of Chinese people..
The move is seen as an attempt to quash the growing protests against the government’s zero-COVID policy. The protests, which began in late November, have been sparked by anger over the government’s strict lockdown measures, which have caused widespread economic hardship and social unrest. The protests have been largely peaceful, but they have spread to dozens of cities across the country, and they have been met with a heavy-handed response from the government..
The government has deployed thousands of police and paramilitary forces to crack down on the protests. The police have used tear gas, water cannons, and rubber bullets to disperse crowds, and they have detained hundreds of protesters. The government has also imposed a media blackout on the protests, and it has ordered the media not to report on them..
The internet lockdown is the latest attempt by the government to control the flow of information about the protests. The government has already ordered the media not to report on the protests, and it has also ordered the blocking of access to foreign websites and news sites that have reported on the protests. The internet lockdown is a further escalation in the government’s efforts to control the internet, and it could have far-reaching implications for freedom of expression and access to information in China..
The internet lockdown is a reminder of the Chinese government’s tight grip on the internet. The government has long used the Great Firewall to block access to websites and apps that it deems to be harmful or subversive. The government has also used the Great Firewall to censor online content, and it has detained and imprisoned people for expressing their views online..
The internet lockdown is a sign that the Chinese government is increasingly concerned about the power of the internet to spread dissent and information that the government does not want the public to see. The government is likely to continue to tighten its control over the internet in the months and years to come, and it is likely that the internet lockdown will become a permanent fixture of the Chinese internet landscape..
The internet lockdown is a major blow to freedom of expression and access to information in China. The government’s efforts to control the internet are a threat to the free flow of information and ideas, and they are likely to have a chilling effect on online speech in China. The internet lockdown is a reminder that the Chinese government is determined to control the internet, and it is likely that the internet lockdown will become a permanent fixture of the Chinese internet landscape..
