China vs. Twitter

“Even if Twitter’s co-founders did not necessarily develop it to be a tool of democratization, that is precisely what it has become,” writes Emily Parker, Arthur Ross Fellow at Asia Society’s Center on U.S.-China Relations. In a column twittered by the head of Twitter and re-tweeted to millions, she writes: “Twitter is largely blocked by China’s ‘great firewall’, which prevents Chinese people from accessing certain sites. Yet Twitter has an almost religious following among tech-savvy Chinese, whose determination to use the service outstrips authorities’ efforts to block access to it. ... The world should continue to flood the Chinese market, and those of other countries that restrict freedom of expression, with cutting-edge technology. Of course, censors will often be just one step behind, filtering information and shutting down sites. But Chinese netizens are remarkably adept at using the limited tools available to them. In doing so, they are transforming their country in a slow but irreversible way.”

Emily is in New York. To arrange an interview, contact the Asia Society communications department at 212-327-9271 or [email protected].