A Chinese artist named Ai Weiwei has been detained by the Chinese government for his anti-government views and his oppositional viewpoints. The interesting thing about this man is he is an avid user of Twitter and Facebook as means for his social commentary, and many are saying that it is because of his use of these mediums that the Chinese government decided to take him into custody. An interview with Radio Australia (located here: http://bit.ly/hM4YWE) shows how some experts believe Weiwei's abduction is in some ways caused by his presence on social media.
The Executive Secretary of China Human Rights Lawyers' Concern Group had this to say:
"Instead of just criticizing the government, he would try to make use of the internet as a tool, to call for people to do something funny - to ridicule the government and also to help the people to find the arrested or detained human rights defenders, in very creative ways. So I think he attracted so many people to follow him on his Twitter, so many people want to be his friend on his Facebook, so I think that's why the public security becomes so anxious about his influence."
The interesting thing about this excerpt is the notion that Weiwei's activism was not considered much of a threat until he took it to Twitter and Facebook. Weiwei has been an activist for many years now. The 53-year-old artist has had many things to say about the wrongdoings of the government, but it wasn't until he took to the web and had a platform that spanned nations and cultural divisions that he became a threat.
The internet offers us a great deal of potential for the furthering of democracy, but with that comes the increased scrutiny and censorship from oppressive governments.
"[Weiwei] would make use of very courageous ways to make other people think about the issues. So he became a very influential figure on the internet."
What kind of potential opportunities are presented by social media platforms to individuals in speech-restricted areas?
The internet provides a wealth of opportunity to people who live in speech-restricted countries. The story that you mention illustrates this point perfectly. I think that governments that attempt to restrict speech fear the internet and the access to the outside world that it provides for their citizens. Many countries with speech-restictions often limit internet access for citizens because of this.
ReplyDeleteIt's nice that you're shedding some more light on this issue. I don't think their creators meant for this to happen, but Facebook and Twitter have become crucial tools during anti-government protests in speech-restricted areas. I've heard that in Iran access to Internet fluctuates depending on social/political climate; if a lot of riots are taking place, the government shuts off Internet service (or makes it soooo slow you can't do anything). As these situations become more common, it will be interesting to see how authoritarian governments react.
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