Chinese-style ‘digital authoritarianism’ rising around world – study
- Report on 65 countries finds global internet freedom has declined for eighth consecutive year
- Chinese officials have briefed 36 of the nations assessed on controlling information
Governments worldwide are stepping up use of online tools, in many cases inspired by China’s model, to suppress dissent and tighten their grip on power, a human rights watchdog study has found.
The annual Freedom House study of 65 countries found global internet freedom declined for the eighth consecutive year in 2018, amid a rise in what the group called “digital authoritarianism”.
The 2018 Freedom on the Net report, released on Thursday, found online propaganda and disinformation had increasingly “poisoned” the digital space, while the unbridled collection of personal data was infringing on privacy.
“Democracies are struggling in the digital age, while China is exporting its model of censorship and surveillance to control information both inside and outside its borders,” said Michael Abramowitz, president of Freedom House, an independent watchdog dedicated to the expansion of freedom and democracy.
“This pattern poses a threat to the open internet and endangers prospects for greater democracy worldwide.”