Authoritarian Technocapitalism: Public Opinion Surveillance in China

• In Event: Accepting Big Brother: Privacy & State Surveillance in China's Digital Sphere

Abstract

Facing severe challenges brought about by the expansion of digital media, authoritarian regimes across the globe have established sophisticated censorship systems, embraced innovative information manipulation strategies, but also worked new information and communication technologies to their advantage. However, even high-capacity autocracies such as that of China often lack the technological expertise and resources necessary to effectively impose its dominance in the digital realm. How do authoritarian regimes overcome such an obstacle and build up its capacity to control, manage, and utilize digital media? In this article, we study the evolution of public opinion surveillance industry in China which involves government buying services from specialized online opinion monitoring companies. We argue that industry, which has become an indispensable part in China’s heightened surveillance apparatus, symbolizes the rise of “authoritarian technocaptialism” in which capital and technology are integrated into authoritarian governance while benefiting from the marriage with state power. Moreover, our preliminary observation suggests that public opinion services have over time shifted from a more passive "watching the internet for the government" role to assume a more interventionist function of “guarding the internet for the government.” Such a trend reflects a fundamental change in the digital governance logic in China, with online expression perceived less as source of policy feedback as it used to and more a threat to be suppressed, indicating the nation’s deep slide into a surveillance state.

Authors

• weishan miao

• Rongbin Han, University of Georgia

• Qingyan WANG, University of Georgia