Digital Rights and Freedoms: The Fight for a Free Internet in Authoritarian Regimes

Derechos Digitales y Libertades: La Lucha por un Internet Libre en los Regímenes Autoritarios

Authors

  • Wang Zhihao University of Science and Technology of China
  • Zhang Liyan Renmin University of China
  • Mikhail Andreyevich Sokolov Lomonosov Moscow State University
  • Omar Khaled Hussein American University in Cairo

Keywords:

Digital rights, Internet freedom, Authoritarianism, Censorship, Digital activism

Abstract

This article examines the challenges and strategies surrounding the defense of digital rights and freedoms under authoritarian regimes. By analyzing cases from countries such as China, Russia, and Egypt, the research investigates how state-controlled censorship, surveillance, and internet shutdowns undermine freedom of expression and access to information. Using a multidisciplinary approach that combines political science, human rights law, and digital activism, the study highlights the innovative tactics employed by civil society and grassroots movements to resist digital repression, including virtual private networks (VPNs), encrypted communication, and decentralized platforms. The novelty of this work lies in its comprehensive analysis of the interplay between technology, power, and resistance in digital spaces within authoritarian contexts. This article contributes to the global discourse on internet governance, human rights, and the protection of digital freedoms in oppressive environments.

 

Este artículo analiza los desafíos y estrategias en la defensa de los derechos y libertades digitales bajo regímenes autoritarios. A través del análisis de casos en países como China, Rusia y Egipto, la investigación examina cómo la censura estatal, la vigilancia y los apagones de internet socavan la libertad de expresión y el acceso a la información. Mediante un enfoque multidisciplinario que combina ciencia política, derecho de los derechos humanos y activismo digital, el estudio destaca las tácticas innovadoras empleadas por la sociedad civil y los movimientos de base para resistir la represión digital, incluyendo redes privadas virtuales (VPN), comunicación cifrada y plataformas descentralizadas. La novedad de este trabajo radica en su análisis integral de la interacción entre tecnología, poder y resistencia en espacios digitales dentro de contextos autoritarios. Este artículo contribuye al discurso global sobre gobernanza de internet, derechos humanos y la protección de las libertades digitales en entornos represivos.

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Published

2025-10-31

How to Cite

Zhihao, Wang, Zhang Liyan, Mikhail Andreyevich Sokolov, and Omar Khaled Hussein. 2025. “Digital Rights and Freedoms: The Fight for a Free Internet in Authoritarian Regimes: Derechos Digitales Y Libertades: La Lucha Por Un Internet Libre En Los Regímenes Autoritarios”. Revista De Derechos Humanos Contemporáneos 1 (2):347-76. https://publications.socipol.org/index.php/rdh/article/view/40.

Issue

Section

Articles/Articulos