CS 312 Yevgeniy Bangiyev

Summary of “It Was Claimed That the Internet and Satellite TV Would Topple Dictators”

Like “Dot Com for Dictators,” this article also points out the fact that the internet does not necessarily have to harm non-democratic governments; it is possible for such government to get the economic benefits of the internet without their power being seriously threatened by the exposure of its people to information and the spread of dissent. The events of the last few years have broken the myth that computers and the internet are the demise of dictators.

The article refers to a prediction made by Thomas Friedman, a New York Times columnist, who stated that global telecommunications, especially the internet, will force non-democratic regimes to open up and liberalize or face being overthrown. However, despite the fact that the internet did play a part in the past democratization of some countries in Europe, Asia, and South America, Friedman’s conclusion is flawed. The author of the article writes that Friedman did not take into account the power of internet services providers to filter content.

China is the primary example of how an undemocratic government can take advantage of the internet and not be in trouble. Being able to control the access to and use of the internet on its territory, China proves that regulating it is not impossible. The authorities are able to filter unwanted sites, censor content with suspicious words, and track users, while Western internet (and satellite TV) technology and services providers are happy to oblige. Yahoo, for example, recently provided personal information that led to the arrest and conviction of a Chinese journalist who had illegally emailed an official Chinese censorship order to democratic organizations in other countries.

Because making money is what matters most, Western companies are willing to follow the regulations the Chinese government sets. They won’t risk losing high paying business contracts with China just because the rules they must follow go against Western values.

Monbiot, George. “It Was Claimed That the Internet and Satellite TV Would Topple Dictators” Guardian Newspapers. 12 Sept. 2005. 7 April 2006 <www.buzzle.com/editorials/9-12-2005-76659.asp>.