And I talk about this in particular in Cuba. But I've also seen Internet activists overcome their fears.
PARKER: So I don't want to downplay how tough authoritarian regimes can be on Internet activists. And when you look at the way that regimes around the world have been only too happy to crack down on dissent, how has this really made a difference? So, for critics of the Chinese government, the Internet is the one place where they find that they are not alone.ĬORNISH: The other issue is fear. And it's very dangerous for critics of the party to gather in the real world. And ever since the 1989 demonstrations that swept across the country and led to the Tiananmen crackdown of 1989, the Communist Party has been extremely nervous about any kind of physical gathering. The truth is the Chinese government is far more concerned about collective action. And people tend to think that Chinese authorities censor words that are critical of the government. PARKER: In a country like China, for example, we talk a lot about Chinese censorship. This seems fairly obvious but talk about how it plays out for people under these regimes. In the book, I think you call them the lifeblood of authoritarian regimes.ĬORNISH: So the first, isolation. Or, for example, I talk about the famous Russian blogger Alexei Navalny, who launched anti-corruption campaigns on the Internet and helped ordinary Russians show that they could make a difference.ĬORNISH: So let's break this down further. So, for example, I talk about ordinary bloggers in Cuba who start writing blogs and, for the first time, they feel that they can express themselves freely. Because isolation, fear and apathy are among the most effective weapons of authoritarian regimes. And in particular, how online activists can use the Internet to overcome isolation, fear and apathy. PARKER: Well, my book focuses on the psychological impact of the Internet in countries like China, Cuba and Russia. Give us a sense, what are some of the advantages that they have today compared to a generation or two ago? Her new book is called "Now I Know Who My Comrades Are: Voices from the Underground."Įmily Parker, thanks for coming in to our New York bureau.ĮMILY PARKER: Thank you so much for having me.ĬORNISH: So your research comes in part from interviews with bloggers and online activists in countries like Russia. Emily Parker has written about how the Internet is changing activism.
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