Emulating China and Russia, More Countries Crack Down on Internet Freedoms

Justin Sherman wrote for World Politics Review about internet governance trends in 2018 and the importance of tracking domestic internet policies in the new year.

The government in the Democratic Republic of Congo cut internet and text message services across the country two days in a row last week, as tensions rose ahead of the release of official results from last month’s presidential election. It was just the latest move to restrict internet access by a state with a poor democratic track record, as more countries appear to take their digital cues from the likes of China and Russia.