The internet knows no borders, neither do the threats it poses. The Internet unquestionably serves as a vital engine for storing and spreading data in an unmatchable magnitude. However, in this data-driven world, information can be manipulated and misrepresented to shape desired opinions potentially resulting in personal harm and creating challenges at the national level. The 2007 cyber-attacks in Estonia, the Stuxnet worm attack on Iran's nuclear program, and the possible Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. elections are some of the recent incidences that reflect the vulnerability of the internet in the context of national security. In response to these threats, states are employing various means and ways to control the menace associated with the internet. Few states opt for awareness campaigns others have implemented extensive measures to control and restrict online content. Similarly, China has been operating a systematic control over the internet since the 1990s, which is famously known as the Great Firewall, officially referred to as the Golden Shield Project.
China officially acquired access to the Internet in 1994, and the government of China rapidly identified the potential risks of this widespread network. Therefore, in the late 1990s a Golden Shield Project was introduced in China under the leadership of President Jiang Zemin. This project aimed to establish. The project aimed to establish a thorough framework for internet monitoring and censoring. Over time The Golden Shield project evolved into The Great Firewall of China. The system is a combination of technological and legislative tools that work under strict supervision of the Government. Let’s explore in detail how the Great Firewall of China operates.
Keyword filtering, Internet protocol blocking, and Domain name system spoofing are some of the different approaches on which the system of Great Firewall functions. Over the period, the system is equipped with some innovative techniques like Deep Packet Inspections, which allow authorities to bypass the methods of overpassing censorship such as Virtual Private Networks (VPNs). The system is supported by domestic companies that are aligned under Cyber Security Law 2017. Companies to avoid repercussions in line with the Internet Security Level Protection Regulation (2019) often impose “Self-Censorship” and remove the prohibited content. The system is perceived both positively and negatively all around the world.
By filtering out turmoil-causing content the system also plays a pivotal role in maintaining social stability in China.
Although Firewall is a highly controlled system it has some positive outcomes. In this Post-truth era, misinformation can be used to provoke public unrest. It can be seen in some prominent incidents like the 2016 Pizza Gate conspiracy in the United States of America, A Similar incident happened in 2018 when anti-Muslim riots emerged in Sri Lanka. Moreover, the, 2015 xenophobic attacks in South Africa are also an example of misinformation spread through the internet that caused a significant number of causalities. Furthermore, by filtering out turmoil-causing content the system also plays a pivotal role in maintaining social stability in China. The spread of panic-causing information during any natural disaster can exacerbate the situation causing more fatalities the misinterpretation during the Nepal Earthquake of 2015 can be seen as a prominent example. China is protected from these evils due to the presence of a Firewall.
On the other hand, due to its restrictive, the system has been facing widespread criticism from human rights activists. Another negative outcome of this system is that it creates a situation of distrust among the public. The nature of the system also makes it difficult for the public to differentiate between credible content and state propaganda. Furthermore, it can also limit global collaborations in science, technology, and culture due to the absence of foreign content. The Great Firewall of China can also limit personal confidentiality by constant monitoring of personal data. The mechanism has a profound impact on the internet culture of the region.
The Great Firewall of China has served as a complex tool for national security, blocking foreign influence, and is the cause of fostering monopoly of domestic tech industries
Internet culture shapes the behavior of people influencing how people engage with content, economic trends, digital security, and privacy. Some of the netizens have learned to censor themselves and use expressions that cannot be censored for instance playful languages or symbols are used to discuss prohibited information this type of situation has developed a unique culture of the internet. Moreover, The firewall prevents the Western or foreign media industry from penetrating the Chinese market in contrast China is heavily investing in Chinese movies, television, and drama industry streaming platforms such as iQIYI, Youku, and Tencent Video that produce content adhering to the government's regulation and promotes Chinese values and nationalism. The Great Firewall fosters movements like "Little Pink" which are immersed in patriotic narratives. As a result a collective digital narrative emerges, with users defending China against foreign criticism this reflects a specific internet culture that thrives on nationalistic sentiments. Under the censorship policies by the early 2000s major international internet platforms such as Google, Facebook, and Twitter were blacklisted, to fill the void homegrown alternatives are created such as WeChat, Sina's Weibo, and Baidu's search engine. Chinese tech companies like Baidu, Alibaba, and Tencent have thrived as economic giants in search engines, e-commerce, and social media, largely due to the absence of foreign competition. Furthermore, the need to create alternative solutions to foreign services has driven innovations in China for instance Wechat has integrated social media and payment services into a single platform.
Since the introduction of the internet in China, the Great Firewall of China has served as a complex tool for national security, blocking foreign influence, and is the cause of fostering monopoly of domestic tech industries. Although this censorship limits global collaboration and results in conventional political views it has fueled innovative methods, like the use of memes and the "little pink" movement that reflects a burgeoning nationalistic internet culture. Many countries like Pakistan are considering the implementation of a similar structure due to misuse of the internet and content manipulation against states' interests. Even the countries that advocate for freedom of the internet such as the United States have faced the consequences such as the Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack which led to several legal actions by the government. I will conclude my point here as while Freedom is essential at every level, it should come with certain limitations.