blogging. Blogs are even more efficient than typical Web sites in providing a quick and easy
means for individuals and organizations to communicate and distribute information, especially
in regions of the world with low bandwidth. Blogging is becoming increasingly politicized, particularly among nondemocratic and repressive regimes, but also in ‘‘free’’ and ‘‘partly free’’
parts of the world. The number of bloggers targeted for silencing has grown in proportion
roughly to the spread and increasing popularity of blogging. In some parts of the world, blogging can be an attractive alternative to state-controlled media, but one which presents significant security risks for individuals undertaking the blogging. Blogging content is increasingly
subject to Internet censorship and surveillance. Among the countries that the ONI has studied, China and Iran have the most refined systems of blog filtering in place, although there is
blog filtering in other countries as well. As the tendency worldwide is toward an increase in the
scope and scale of Internet censorship and surveillance, we should anticipate the number of
countries targeting blogs for filtering to increase as well.
Evolving Techniques: Just-in-Time Blocking, DoS, and Computer Network Attack
Since 2003, research collected by the ONI indicates an increase in the number of countries
applying filtering to an expanding number of categories, many of which affect civic networks,
resistance networks, as well as dark nets. However, increasing awareness of filtering practices has also provoked a degree of blowback, evident in both the negative publicity in the
global media targeting the worse offenders, such as China, Iran, and Uzbekistan, and
calls for adjusting U.S. foreign policy to label countries following such practices as pariahs.
There is, of course, a question mark over the degree to which establishing the global norm
of a free and open Internet is possible, given that such a stance would contradict the concerns shared by many security agencies, in democratic and nondemocratic states alike, as
to the degree to which the Internet can and does serve as a sanctuary for armed social
movements, and hence is in need of enhanced rather than decreased policing. Likewise,
criminal exploitation of cyberspace and particularly efforts aimed at stopping sexual exploitation of children means that calls for the complete removal of filtering are unlikely to meet with
success.
It is equally true, however, that not all countries have the political will, economic clout, or
natural resource base of a China or Iran. Many Third World countries are dependent on different forms of foreign assistance, or are sensitive to sanctions that may disrupt trade or
the movement of migrant workers. Consequently, being labeled as a pariah, with any of the
attendant negative publicity and possibility of sanctions, is of consequence. Yet controlling
unwanted political agency, whether it comes in the form of prodemocracy groups, independent media channels, or armed social movements is increasingly critical, particularly in authoritarian states, or countries with less institutionalized and more fragile systems for managing
political change (such as elections). Among these states, the perceived costs of maintaining
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143
means for individuals and organizations to communicate and distribute information, especially
in regions of the world with low bandwidth. Blogging is becoming increasingly politicized, particularly among nondemocratic and repressive regimes, but also in ‘‘free’’ and ‘‘partly free’’
parts of the world. The number of bloggers targeted for silencing has grown in proportion
roughly to the spread and increasing popularity of blogging. In some parts of the world, blogging can be an attractive alternative to state-controlled media, but one which presents significant security risks for individuals undertaking the blogging. Blogging content is increasingly
subject to Internet censorship and surveillance. Among the countries that the ONI has studied, China and Iran have the most refined systems of blog filtering in place, although there is
blog filtering in other countries as well. As the tendency worldwide is toward an increase in the
scope and scale of Internet censorship and surveillance, we should anticipate the number of
countries targeting blogs for filtering to increase as well.
Evolving Techniques: Just-in-Time Blocking, DoS, and Computer Network Attack
Since 2003, research collected by the ONI indicates an increase in the number of countries
applying filtering to an expanding number of categories, many of which affect civic networks,
resistance networks, as well as dark nets. However, increasing awareness of filtering practices has also provoked a degree of blowback, evident in both the negative publicity in the
global media targeting the worse offenders, such as China, Iran, and Uzbekistan, and
calls for adjusting U.S. foreign policy to label countries following such practices as pariahs.
There is, of course, a question mark over the degree to which establishing the global norm
of a free and open Internet is possible, given that such a stance would contradict the concerns shared by many security agencies, in democratic and nondemocratic states alike, as
to the degree to which the Internet can and does serve as a sanctuary for armed social
movements, and hence is in need of enhanced rather than decreased policing. Likewise,
criminal exploitation of cyberspace and particularly efforts aimed at stopping sexual exploitation of children means that calls for the complete removal of filtering are unlikely to meet with
success.
It is equally true, however, that not all countries have the political will, economic clout, or
natural resource base of a China or Iran. Many Third World countries are dependent on different forms of foreign assistance, or are sensitive to sanctions that may disrupt trade or
the movement of migrant workers. Consequently, being labeled as a pariah, with any of the
attendant negative publicity and possibility of sanctions, is of consequence. Yet controlling
unwanted political agency, whether it comes in the form of prodemocracy groups, independent media channels, or armed social movements is increasingly critical, particularly in authoritarian states, or countries with less institutionalized and more fragile systems for managing
political change (such as elections). Among these states, the perceived costs of maintaining
Global Civil Society and the Securitization of the Internet
143