Connect First, then Suppress: Chinese vs. Western Communication Development Projects and Internet Freedom

Abstract Over recent decades, developing countries have witnessed a rapid surge in internet connectivity, driven by an upswing in aid projects dedicated to information and communication technology (ICT) development. While many expect the increased internet connectivity to contribute to the freedom of expression and freer flow of information, others worry that it would rather enable recipient governments to expand their information control and digital surveillance. How do communication aid projects affect internet freedom in recipient countries? Through a cross-national analysis of aid and internet freedom in developing countries, our research reveals that the effect of communication aid on internet freedom varies by the sources of aid projects. Specifically, Chinese aid geared toward communication development has a negative relationship with internet freedom in recipient countries. Conversely, communication aid projects funded by the World Bank and the United States do not exhibit a similarly negative correlation. This paper also finds that the negative association between Chinese communication aid projects and internet freedom is more pronounced in autocratic recipient countries.