China was one the first repressive countries to grasp the importance of the Internet and of controlling it. It is also one of the few countries that has managed to "sanitise" the Internet by blocking access to all criticism of the regime while at the same time expanding it (China has more than 130 million users). The secret of this success is a clever mix of filter technology, repression and diplomacy. Along with effective spying and censorship technology, the regime is also very good at intimidating users and forcing them to censor their own material. China is the world's biggest prison for cyber-dissidents, with 62 in prison for what they posted online.

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