People’s Republic of China restrictions on global right to freedom of expression in the digital media

Abstract

Freedom of expression is one of the fundamental rights developed throughout the course of human history. Speech and expression of one’s opinion are crucial for societal development in the realm of a marketplace of ideas. The discussions behind the meaning and objective of this right date back to the rise of Aristotelian and Socrates philosophical thought and are now formalized as international legal norms through the formation of the International Bill of Human Rights. Further, the transition of the platforms from traditional means to digital has paved the way for the true embrace of the right to express thoughts and opinions. Nonetheless, the formal universal acceptance of the prescribed norms is not indicative of the absolute enforcement of the freedom into the State’s practice. This work is dedicated to the overview of the People’s Republic of China advanced domestic and extraterritorial digital censorship from a domestic and international perspective and evaluation of the limitations of freedom through the prism of universal human rights.