The document discusses governmental control of the internet in authoritarian states. It summarizes that while the internet is seen as promoting globalization and free speech, authoritarian governments implement controls within their borders through technical filtering of content, shutting down of servers, and restrictive laws. The main goals of state intervention are to restrict published opinions and limit active participation in political discussions, while allowing more open discussion of economic and cultural issues. While complete control of the global internet is not possible, national borders allow successful regulation of internet activities.

1. Abstract for: The Myth of the Global Internet:
Unequal Infrastructures, Invisible Controls, Multiple Cultures
Title: Governmental control: The Internet in
authoritarian states
Name: Jan Schwate (Mr.)
Institution: Technical University of Ilmenau / Germany
eMail: info@govote.de
Summary:
The Internet is a force for economic globalization and offers a world-wide platform for freedom of
speech. Numerous politicians and experts expect improvements for the global spread of democracy, a
decrease of social inequalities as well as an intense participation of the citizens at political decision-
making processes. With the web 2.0 the participative communication in the Internet becomes more
relevant. In particular with applications, which are based on user generated content and its simple and
comfortable publication, new possibilities are open to the participation in political discussions.
But does the Web actually become a freedom-promoting tool? Or can existing power structures be
supported and developed with its assistance, too? The impact of the propagation of the Internet
depends on the kind of political organization. Emphases of most investigations to the Internet politics
are the developments and possibilities of liberal-democratic systems. But political regulation need
exists also in states, which are not ranked among the group of the liberal-democratic systems.
Headlines like „ Skype says texts are censored by China” (FT.com) arouse the impression,
communication in the Internet in authoritarian states is constantly suppressed. But that’s a
simplification, which does not become fair the reality. An investigation of the OpenNet Initiative
shows in the technically realized global Internet Filtering an enormous range in the 41 examined
states, related to contents concerned as well as the extent and the blocking patterns.
The main target of technical filtering is the content outside of the country. Within the country there are
more efficient regulation, for instance the shutdown of servers or a very restrictive law. In an empirical
investigation different approaches could be found in the regulation of the Internet. The central goals of
interventions of the state are the restriction of the published opinions and the limitation of the active
participation in the discussion about social relevant topics. While competitive views can be brought to
general economic and cultural affairs mostly without substantial restrictions to the expression, this
applies only partly to political views. For the avoidance of an unwanted rating and opinion
competition a divergences preventing political orientation is given to the media.
Complete technical control of the global Internets by an individual state can not be attained, but within
national borders Internet activities thereby can be regulated in a successful way. Also the technological
support of the efforts of censorship by western companies must be considered, which raises questions
for the ethical responsibility of the economical stakeholders and for possibilities, which democratic
states possess for the stabilization of liberal moments and to shape the behaviour of other stakeholders.
The approach of a strong „Governmental control” seems to clarify itself opposite the weaker
participants from private sector and civil society. These differences concern thereby not only the
respective countries, but also the Global Internet Governance - also the authoritarian states are affected
by global regulations and can affect the promotion of new boundaries.