[7] Most notably, China and Russia have been accused by the Brookings Institution of leveraging the Internet and information technology to repress opposition domestically while undermining democracies abroad.
Behavior deviating from these norms incurs automatic punishment through a bad credit scoring, which leads to economic or social disadvantages (loan conditions, lower job opportunities, no participation in public procurement etc.).
[3] According to Freedom House, the China model of digital authoritarianism through Internet control against those who are critical of the CCP features legislations of censorship, surveillance using artificial intelligence (AI) and facial recognition, manipulation or removal of online content, cyberattacks and spear phishing, suspension and revocation of social media accounts, detention and arrests, and forced disappearance and torture, among other means.
[13] China utilizes these data capabilities not only to enhance governmental and infrastructural efficiency but also to monitor and suppress dissent among its population, particularly in Xinjiang, where the government targets the Uyghur community under the guise of counterterrorism and public security.
[26][27] The military junta also sought to criminalize virtual private networks (VPNs), imposed mandatory registration of devices, and increased surveillance on both social media platforms and via telecom companies.
[27] In July 2022, the military executed activist Kyaw Min Yu, after arresting him in November 2021 for prodemocracy social media posts criticizing the coup.
[30] Additionally, all ten countries utilized Internet surveillance, mobile intercept technologies, or artificial intelligence to monitor targeted individuals using specific keywords.