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The Mona Lisa of Blog Posts. No.8

The Great Firewall.

Sounds kind of grand doesn’t it...

Well to be honest with you it’s no Mona Lisa but its infamous power is not something to be challenged. Imagine not being able to open the little blue app with that iconic F on it. Or not being able to stalk the girl who wore ridiculously cool shoes on Instagram. I don’t think we as a collective society could handle it now. It would be like going cold turkey on a FAD diet and breaking it after a couple of hours because dad brought home a Mars Bar. Back to the topic at hand though, we have a common assumption that due to the notion of the great firewall in China, they are somewhat oblivious to media communication and are subjective to information derived only from their authorities. This couldn’t be further from the truth. “Social media has a greater influence on purchasing decisions for consumers in China than for those anywhere else in the world” (Chiu, C et al 2012). Whilst we somehow allow endless hours escape sitting, scrolling on Instagram, liking and stalking the high profile ‘famous’ individuals, Chinese consumers use social media as a way to research reviews for a product or service. The difference between us comes down to culture. We are lucky enough to live in a democratic society where our public sphere endorses our freedom of speech. Juxtaposed to china, they “lack trust in formal institutions” (Chiu, C et al 2012). In Western Countries we can agree Facebook, Instagram and Twitter dominate our social connectivity, compared to Asian countries where there is no access to these sites. Through the use of sites such as Qzone and Renren, they become the equivalent to what we consider as social media as they are designated sites that share photos, videos and life updates (Chiu, C et al 2012).

Thinking about it from a company's point of view, it would be strategically smart to adopt the way Chinese consumers use social media to platform products and services. Flourishing in home-grown equivalents to our Youtube and Facebook, China is relishing in active users being somewhat more proactive with their social media usage (Crampton, T 2011).

Now I know 99% of us may not sit down and watch the seven o'clock news with the parents, or listen to the ABC radio on the way to work in the morning BUT we have evolved our way of communicating through outlets via social media. Considering other countries cannot rely on the information they are received through these sources makes us pretty fortunate. Sina Weibo is a microblogging service in China that “has been used to recollect and re-narrate the memories of a city, such as Guangzhou where dramatic cultural changes took place”(Wang Yang W 2015). Weibo has enabled political engagement through maintaining Guangzhou people’s “sense of belonging to the city” (Wang Yang W 2015). Through media services like this, people have become empowered enough to challenge state authority in China which is significantly huge as the Great Firewall has placed a dominant ban on all sites that reference any form of political activity. Imagine a protest that involved hundreds of people in the streets of Melbourne and not being able to post your political views about it. Whilst yes, we have the issue of trolls, bullying and therefore a negative influx over social media, it does give us a domain to be frank with where we stand on our cultural differences.

References: Crampton, T 2011, ‘Social Media in China: The Same But Different’, ThomasCrampton, sourced from: http://thomascrampton.com/china/social-media-china-business-review/

Chiu, C, Lin, D and Silverman, A 2012, 'China's social-media boom', McKinsey and Company, 1 May 2013, sourced from: https://ilearn.swin.edu.au/bbcswebdav/pid-7037465-dt-content-rid-40224752_2/courses/2018-HS1-MDA20009-227427/McKinsey-Chinas-Social-Media-Boom1_2012.pdf

Wang Yang, W 2015, ‘Remaking Guangzhou: Geo-Identity and place making on Sina Weibo’, No. 156 pp 56. Sourced from: https://ilearn.swin.edu.au/bbcswebdav/pid-7037465-dt-content-rid-40224791_2/courses/2018-HS1-MDA20009-227427/Wang_Remaking%20Guangzhou_MIA_2015.pdf

Additional Interview Information

Here is a second interview I conducted for Media Platforms and Practices whereby a Male subject travelled and lived abroad in China for 3-6 months. This interview displays strong links between The Great Firewall discussed in week 11′s content as well as the project I put together.

Interview Subject 1: Oliver Lees

Content: Travelled and lived abroad internationally for 3-6 months

Author: By Grace Kane

Rationale: Oliver Lees is a 22 year old student currently studying International Affairs at Deakin University. He has travelled to countries such as China, and lived in Taiwan for 5-6 months during his international exchange study abroad program. Being a 22 year old student offers great opportunity and insight into the current trends on social media and how government officials control and therefore monitor the activity on social media platforms and therefore shape and effect cultural norms. Oliver and his girlfriend experienced a long distance relationship whilst he completed his travels abroad and I briefly spoke to her about the effect their social media connectedness had on their overall communication and therefore their relationship. Whilst she said it initially wasn’t a problem, it often became a boundary alongside the time difference that offered great difficulty in feeling connected and supported with each others day to day lifestyle trends. While their relationship has been withstanding for over 4 years, the restriction of social media even with VPN still offered a degree of difficulty for feelings of connectedness and therefore made their experience with a long distance relationship sometimes rocky. While Olly spent time in China, he has also experienced Japan and Taiwan’s government control. As he mentioned, Japan doesn’t really have anything in place to generally distance societal members from social media platforms and they encourage feelings of cultural connectedness even when it comes to sites that offer political activism.

What experiences did you have with internet censorship when you were overseas living abroad? Censorship is everywhere in China! There was major restrictions on what I would consider regular usage of the internet. Probably most apparent was the inability to use Google search, or any Google affiliated websites. In terms of experience I don’t really have any outstanding stories, other than generally feeling needlessly stifled. Sometimes a website would be block and there would be no good reason for it.

How was your usage of social media monitored?The most common social media which I use in Aus was blocked; so no access to Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat. Of course there are ways around that. Myself and most of my foreign friends would use a VPN, which mimics servers from other countries on your device, so that you can use the internet without blockages. Using a reliable VPN costs money though, and can be cumbersome to use. In China I mainly used WeChat, which is the most popular social media in China. You can do everything on WeChat, and I’m quite sure (but not certain) that the Chinese government has a stake in WeChat, so naturally they’re monitoring all your activity on WeChat.

Did you feel as if you had freedom to access basic connected sites such as email, Facebook, and Instagram ?No, I didn’t have freedom to my Gmail, Facebook and Instagram, these sites are strictly banned. But like I said I could access via a VPN.

Were sites that held a political view blocked and restricted in terms of usage? Yes, there were blatant blocks on sites that harboured a particular political agenda, or even displayed certain facts that the Communist Party would rather you not see. In some cases this is extreme and ludicrous. For example, an internet trend emerged in which Chinese internet users were comparing Party Chairman Xi Jinping’s image to Winnie the Pooh. This went viral, and before too long, Xi had banned all images of Winnie the Pooh in public and online. Similarly with aspects of history, if you type in ‘Tiananmen Square Incident 1989’ it will simply come up with general information about Tiananmen Square, but nothing concerning the protests and violence that occurred. There are countless examples of this censorship in China.

Do you think this kind of censorship could ever end up here in Australia ?No something like this would never exist in Australia. The Communist Party’s stranglehold on the media, information and education is derived from a very special set of circumstances that doesn’t exist in Australia. Chinese governance dating back to Imperial times always held an enormous amount of power of its people, it was never a democracy or free society as we experience in Australia. Chinese people going back generations have been conditioned to accept the reality of their governance, leading them to accept and adapt to that reality. Any attempt to implement even a minor aspect of censorship law in Australia would be met with immediate harsh criticism, as we’re used to certain freedoms, and our system of governance encourages freedom of thought and open discussion.

How did you communicate with your family whilst visiting abroad and did the censorship impact basic communication ? When communicating with my family I would use my VPN to get access to Facebook. But I could also use basic iMessage and FaceTime functions on my iPhone, so that wasn’t strictly necessary. Overall the censorship wasn’t a major issue for me in China. I actually came to really enjoy the freedom of not using Facebook and Instagram on a regular basis, and could still communicate with people in Australia when I wished. That’s not to say I in anyway support Chinese censorship, I do not, but as a foreigner abroad the system is not so rigid that I am completely unable to connect with the world outside China.

During my semester I undertook; 2018-HS1-MDA20019-Media Platforms and Practices (Semester 1), throughout this class I decided to focus my learning on Government control with reference to The Great Firewall. This is an interview I conducted with a 35 year old women who lives in Singapore experiencing similar restrictions over social media usage.

#Vimeo

queenstravelingdarling

Oh China

Had to get a VPN. China found out about tumblr…😭😭😭😭

yourlipslip-blog

Technically speaking, we wouldn’t be able to submit our assignments if we had the great firewall....

theverge

China’s “Great Cannon” can intercept and redirect web traffic.

Aaaaaaaaaaand China’s Great Firewall just got a lot scarier.

connorchakra-deactivated2019052

Freedom and the Internet

Governments can have a major effect on the way its citizens use the Internet. China is notorious for its pervasive legislation on Internet censorship, most prominently its online censorship system dubbed the ‘Great Firewall of China’. This system blocks foreign websites including Google, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and many other online platforms popular in the West. In addition to the websites themselves, much online content is blocked every day by the Chinese government, from sensitive material such as pornography to political opinions. According to the watchdog organization Freedom House, China was ranked the worst nation for promoting the freedom of Internet between 2015 and 2016. This lack of Internet freedom in China serves as an important reminder to Westerners of how important it is to monitor any efforts to curb or control these freedoms – whether from governments or companies.

In China, Internet censorship has had a great effect on how its citizens communicate. With the rise of social networks and mass communication, it is becoming increasingly difficult for the Chinese government to censor certain websites and online services. Chinese dissidents have found ways to gain access to banned social networks and use alternative forms of communication. For instance, some people use the app “FireChat” that utilizes Bluetooth and cell radio technology to make calls as opposed to more traceable mediums such as cell service or the Internet (Parker). Other users own virtual private networks (VPNs) to send their IP addresses to other countries. This way, they can gain access to location-locked services and banned websites without being tracked by their government.

Many Chinese citizens use these services because they are afraid of having their government cut off their Internet access or of being arrested. In 2014, nearly two dozen people across mainland China were detained for sharing articles and photos sympathizing with Chinese protesters. One of the most famous examples of this was in response to the 2014 “Umbrella Revolution”. Protesters sat in the streets with umbrellas to protect themselves from police tear gas in protest of new electoral reforms in Hong Kong. Those who were not detained reported being threatened with arrest by authorities if they continued to publicize news of the protest (Jacobs). In recent years, there have even been instances of government-sponsored phishing – gaining online information through deceitful advertisements and malicious website links. These surveillance tactics contribute to the fear many Chinese citizens feel under the watchful eye of their government.

China’s Internet censorship also has controversial economic ramifications. Since China has blocked access to many foreign websites, most Chinese citizens are limited to only the services that their government deems appropriate. This creates a self-insulating economy; without a strong presence of rivaling international businesses, Chinese tech companies such as Tencent, Baidu and Alibaba have become monopolies in China (Gracie). As the world’s biggest retail marketer and with over 695 million Internet users as of December 2016 (CNNIC), these companies have been manipulating China’s large online market and strict Internet regulations for their own profit.

Many westerners are tempted to see this as a ‘Chinese’ problem but should not become complacent when looking at China’s current situation. In Canada, there has been much controversy over the past few years surrounding the Anti-Terrorism Act (commonly referred to as Bill C-51) which was passed in 2015. This legislation further constrains the promotion of terrorism and “expands information sharing among federal government institutions that have jurisdiction or responsibilities concerning national security threats” (Parliament of Canada). This authorization of increased government surveillance has raised privacy concerns. In the 2016 - 2017 annual report to parliament, the Privacy Commissioner of Canada addressed the risks the bill presents:

Our submission noted that Bill C-51 put the privacy of ordinary Canadians at risk with the dramatic expansion of the scale and scope of government information sharing—a problem exacerbated by seriously deficient privacy protections (57).

In the U.S., the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has created much controversy concerning its vote to repeal existing net neutrality legislation. Net neutrality laws mandate that Internet service providers (ISPs) do not charge users differently based on their metadata (platform, content, location, etc.). If these laws are repealed, ISPs may pose a threat to the freedoms of many Internet users and will encourage other nations to adopt similar practices.

The mutual lack of trust between the Chinese government and its citizens is a result of the country’s widespread Internet censorship and surveillance. It limits its citizens’ freedom of speech, makes outside communication more difficult and threatens the privacy of its citizens. The Internet is a place where ideas are shared and connections are made. For the Chinese government to limit, track and control its nation’s access to this valuable resource stifles the freedom of its citizens. While westerners continue to enjoy more online freedom than their Chinese cousins do, they must continue to guard these freedoms.

References

China Internet Network Information Center. “Statistical Report on Internet Development in China.” Trends. 2017.

Freedom House. “Freedom of the Net 2016.” Human Rights. 2016.

Gracie, Carrie. “Alibaba IPO: Chairman Ma’s China.” BBC News (2014).

Jacobs, Andrew. “Detentions of Hong Kong Protest Sympathizers Reported in Mainland.” The New York Times (2014).

Library of Parliament Research Publications. “Bill C-51.” Legislative Summary. 2015.

Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada. “2016-17 Annual Report to Parliament.” Annual Report. 2017.

Parker, Emily. “Social Media and the Hong Kong Protests.” The New Yorker (2014).

GLOBAL SOCIAL MEDIA PRACTISE

Created by me using Canva.

Created by me using Canva

This infographic was based on a combined dystopia whereby Government Control dictated our social media activity. Explained through each dimension of Government control we can see the link between restriction and societal norms.

Created by me using Canva

Remember Farmville? Well Blog Post 7 talks about it...

Farmville was the genuine apocalypse of my high school during year 9. I specifically remember sitting on the Metro train coming into Flinders and arguing with someone over having more horses than I did. Zynga, dude, I take my hat off to you because you turned non-gamers into addicted members of technology in society. Then came the infamous Candy Crush. Now that game literally gave my thumbs blisters. I can honestly say I’m not much of a gamer, considering my introduction I don’t blame you for not believing me but still, I’m telling the truth. In saying this, I kind of admire gamers for addictively placing so much emphasis on a reality that is based solely online. The structure of these games leverage the networked structure of social media and platform the idea of social gaming to a new dimension. Think about it, how many more friends did you make owning a farm? Or how many more people respected you because you were up to a ridiculous level on Candy Crush?

Ok lets get something out of the way before I begin because it took me a while to wrap my head around. EVE Online is a space themed game that incorporates a massive following of multiplayer gamers. MMOG means; massively multiplayer online game CSM means; Council Stellar Management which affords a channel of communication between the gamers and the game developers

Now we are all on the same page let’s talk business. EVE online, whilst may have viewers that say gamers play under a labour of love, due to the CSM both parties are often profited. They “spend many hours working in the CSM” which effectively benefits the publisher (Melissa de Zwart & Sal Humphreys 2014), though through their interaction they have built up the player population which encourages greater engagement in the participatory communication channel. This body of movement represents “intrinsic rewards and instrumental outcomes such as seeing the game develop” (Melissa de Zwart & Sal Humphreys 2014) whereby the CSM adopts the particular policies the gamers have posed.

On the flip side to the interactive, addictive measures games have had on people we need to consider the ethical approach behind it. And yes I know, even the word ethical leaves a bland taste in your mouth but stick with me and you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

Basically in simple terms, social networked games encompass a range of online disputes that requires an “understanding of the social norms in the community” (Suzor, N Woodford, D 2013). Simply said, the larger these online communities grow the greater pressure placed on legitimately solving disputes with reference to “the consent of the community” (Suzor, N Woodford, D 2013). EVE Online is an example of the heavy issues surrounding real money trading and botting (Suzor, N Woodford, D 2013). While it is evident online environments are constantly changing, being modified and therefore opening up new doors of creativity both in a positive and negative sense, it is becoming harder to develop “legitimate regulatory frameworks” that create efficient and acceptable models of dispute resolution” ( Suzor, N Woodford, D 2013). Specifically, its hard because it needs to take into account the tension between formal “contractual rules and complex conflicting community understands of acceptable behaviour” ( Suzor, N Woodford, D 2013). This means that whilst the game is technically based online, in-real-life measures have been taken to settle disputes which pose a threat to the entire basis of what was initially set out to be a networked website of gamer population.

References: Suzor, N Woodford, D 2013, ‘Evaluating consent and legitimacy amongst shifting community norms: An EVE Online case study' Journal of Virtual Worlds Research, sourced from: https://ilearn.swin.edu.au/bbcswebdav/pid-7037462-dt-content-rid-40224782_2/courses/2018-HS1-MDA20009-227427/Suzor%20and%20Woodford_Evaluating%20consent%20and%20legitimacy%20amongst%20shifting%20community%20norms_EVE%20Online_2013.pdf

Melissa de Zwart & Sal Humphreys 2014, ‘The Lawless Frontier of Deep Space: Code as Law in EVE Online' Cultural Studies Review, sourced from: https://ilearn.swin.edu.au/bbcswebdav/pid-7037462-dt-content-rid-40223598_2/courses/2018-HS1-MDA20009-227427/de%20Zwart%20%26%20Humphreys_The%20Lawless%20Frontier%20of%20Deep%20Space_Code%20as%20Law%20in%20EVE%20Online_CSR_2014.pdf

#gaming #farmville #facebook