Digital Authoritarianism & The Global Threat to Free Speech

China has one of the most restrictive internet environments in the world. Online censorship and content manipulation are increasing, and reports of physical attacks on domestic human rights defenders and cyberattacks on overseas human rights groups are growing. Communist Party General Secretary Xi Jinping has made control of the internet and media one of his top priorities, viewing it as paramount to internal stability and the Party’s long-term survival.  In recent months, the Chinese government and Communist Party have shut down popular domestic social media apps containing a range of content, including jokes, that does not meet its standards of “core socialist values.” The Chinese government has also sought to export its vision of “internet sovereignty” and censorship. The hearing will explore these issues and their impact on the interests of the U.S. and our allies.  It will also look at U.S. policies to promote internet freedom and firewall circumvention in China’s increasingly restrictive environment, and the impact of Chinese government censorship globally.

The hearing can be viewed on the CECC's YouTube channel

Hearing Transcript (PDF)