Reverse-engineering censorship in China: Randomized experimentation and participant observation

Political science. Reverse-engineering censorship in China: randomized experimentation and participant observation.

Existing research on the extensive Chinese censorship organization uses observational methods with well-known limitations. We conducted the first large-scale experimental study of censorship by creating accounts on numerous social media sites, randomly submitting different texts, and observing from a worldwide network of computers which texts were censored and which were not. We also supplement...

Resisting the Censorship Infrastructure in China

China’s censorship infrastructure is widely recognized as sophisticated, strict, and comprehensive. We conducted a qualitative study to understand Chinese citizens’ practices to navigate the censored Chinese Internet. We found that participants’ practices were closely related to their understanding of and resistance to the censorship infrastructure. Participants switched between public and priv...

Assessing Censorship on Microblogs in China

C hina is known as a society in which the government strictly regulates news media and often censors public infor mation. International bodies routinely rank the country's citizens as having the least freedom of speech and freedom of the press. However, on Internet platforms, such as online forums and blogs, the Chinese people seem to have more autonomy to speak on public affairs and can occasi...

Using participant or non-participant observation to explain information behaviour

The aim of the paper is to provide guidance on conducting participant and non-participant observation studies of information behaviour. Examines lessons learned during nonparticipant observation of hospital pharmacists, and participant observation with dependent older people living in their own homes. Describes the methods used in both studies, and discusses the ethical issues involved in gaini...

Effective Censorship: Maintaining Control In China