Taylor Lorenz’s Power User The Global Internet Is Dying: America Is Repeating China's Biggest Mistake
Dec 12, 2025
James Griffiths, a Hong Kong-based journalist and author of The Great Firewall of China, explores the troubling parallels between U.S. internet policies and China's authoritarian approach. He discusses the intricacies of China’s Great Firewall and how Western nations are increasingly adopting similar censorship measures under the guise of safety. Griffiths critiques the outsourcing of censorship to corporations and the dangers it poses to free speech, particularly for marginalized communities, while warning about the potential rise of a 'national internet' model.
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Two-Part Great Firewall
- China uses a two-part Great Firewall: blocking foreign sites and heavy censorship inside domestic platforms.
- The real control happens within Chinese companies who monitor, filter, and shape everyday speech.
Platforms Outsource Censorship
- China made platforms responsible for censorship, so companies over-invest in human censors and AI to avoid fines.
- This creates strong business incentives for platforms to proactively block risky content and overreach.
Censorship Targets Organization
- China's censorship focuses less on isolated criticism and more on stopping mass organization and protest.
- Speech about problems often stays allowed until it moves toward mobilizing people, which is then suppressed.
