Report documents Internet filtering in China

Post Date: April , 2005

“If deployed properly, the Internet can help foster active, participatory democracies throughout the world,” said John Palfrey, executive director of the Berkman Center, in a statement to the Commission. “Internet filtering and surveillance, most clearly exemplified by China’s Internet filtering regime, threaten to choke this potential.”

The OpenNet Initiative — a collaboration among University of Toronto, Harvard University, and the University of Cambridge — has released a series of studies about internet filtering in China. The new report argues that, since 2002, filtering techniques in China have become increasingly sophisticated. The testing was conducted within China’s borders by volunteers from different locations and network access points.

For more information about the study, please read the OpenNet Initiative’s Media Advisory or Palfrey’s statement, or visit the Berkman Center website.