Michael Anti (bürgerlich Jing Zhao) ist seit 12 Jahren Blogger in China. Zwar wird das Internet von der Regierung streng kontrolliert ("alle Server stehen in Beijing"), doch berichtet er davon, wie es 300 Millionen Mikrobloggern gelingt, den ersten nationalen öffentlichen Raum in der Geschichte Chinas zu schaffen, und wie dieses Medium die Machtverhältnisse in China in unvorhergesehener Weise verändert.

Michael Anti: Hinter Chinas großer Firewall

China’s internet censorship created a parallel ecosystem, where 500 million users built vibrant social platforms like Weibo. Despite strict control, more than 300 million people used microblogs to expose cover-ups, voice outrage, and challenge authority. Viral stories, like the Wenzhou train crash, sparked unprecedented public pressure and led to real consequences for officials. Even under heavy surveillance, social media became a training ground for citizenship and public discourse.

Censorship Fuels Innovation and Public Debate Inside China’s Great Firewall

Asia

china

global issues

journalism

social media

technology

TED Stage Talk

Michael Anti: Michael Anti: Hinter Chinas großer Firewall