- With upcoming elections, countries like India, China and Nigeria are proposing censorship controls in place to limit connectivity and access for their citizens.
- This is a business risk that may impact operations of global tech giants like Google and Facebook
The internet has been a driving force for global connectivity allowing the rise of today’s tech giants like Facebook (NASDAQ:FB) and Google (NASDAQ:GOOG). Due to the interconnected nature of the internet, these companies have been able to conduct business internationally across all countries.
However, several countries are putting censorship controls in place to limit connectivity and access. With upcoming elections for many countries, worries of foreign tampering have caused some to consider extreme measures.
- India announced a proposal that would install a Chinese-style censorship ahead of its elections. These proposed rules would allow Indian officials to demand that big web platforms remove content they deem bad for society.
- Russia has considered creating an autonomous internet only for its citizens in the event that the country is cut off from other networks. Citing cyberdefense concerns, Russia has plans to temporarily disconnect from internet as a way to test their defense.
- Congo & Nigeria have used censorship to manipulate elections
- China has long blocked access to certain sites from being accessed within its borders. The use of VPNs to go around these barriers has been deemed illegal.
The isolating tactics by some of these countries goes against the fundamental belief of the open worldwide web. Such moves stall development and prove to be a business risk that the giant tech companies may soon deal with on a global scale.
Article by: Francisco Cortez – Delgado
I graduated from Queen’s University with a Master’s of Political Studies. The intertwined world of politics and economics intrigue me. My favourite stories to cover are the ones that show how a few selected officials can impact nationwide macro-economic policies. I also follow the broader markets and FOREX.