Escaping from the great firewall. A comparison of the internet usage of chinese migrants in Italy and chinese residents in the PRC

The strict regulations on the Internet imposed by the Chinese government on its cyberspace are well known and the Chinese web experience is heavily spoiled day by day. Nevertheless, the typical Chinese Internet user is often not aware of what is going on in China and users’ perception of the Internet freedom issues is very low ( Global Internet User Survey 2012). This book focuses its exploration on the implications and repercussions of a typical Chinese user, accustomed to the pervasive Internet censorship in China, who starts benefiting from an open and democratic Internet environment as the Italian one. Will the Chinese user’s perception of the problems of freedom of speech and open access to information increase?

 

Sergio de Eccher

After having completed his Master degree in Political Science and International Relations at University of Padua (Italy) with a thesis centered on the new threats to States’ security within the 2.0 era, Sergio de Eccher (1977) has focused his research on the role of the Internet within the authoritarian States. During his 5 years of Phd studies at University of St. Gallen (Switzerland), he has examined the role of the Internet in China and the strict regulations imposed by the Chinese government on its cyberspace. This book revolves around Chinese users’ perception of the Internet freedom issues present in China and its core focuses on the Internet habits of the typical Chinese user within a controlled web environment. The innovation of this project is based on the implications occurring after that a Chinese user living in Italy, accustomed to the pervasive Internet censorship present within the Chinese Internet, starts benefiting from an open Internet dimension within a democratic country, as the Italian cyber-society.