Think again: Why authoritarian regimes like social media

Evgeny Morozov (who also blogs at FP) has been a long-time critic of the notion that the internet is ultimately a liberalizing force in international politics. His contrarian views on tech in authoritarian regimes are always thought-provoking. In the TEDtalk below, Morozov lays out his case against “cyber-utopianism” and “iPod liberalism”. I would also recommend reading the comments which offer more information and some contrary views.

Autobiographical note: As many may know, my graduate thesis was on Chinese-Japanese competition over energy resources. Before switching to that topic at the last minute, I was working on the use of the internet and blogs by Iranian mullahs and political activists. Imagine my sense of regret at the missed opportunity during the Twitter revolution in Iran earlier this year.