Internet Control as Capital Control: Evidence from Tech Sectors in China & US

• In Event: Censorship, Propaganda, and Transparency

Abstract

While there has been much discussion of “data as capital” in the policy domain, there has not been any systematic study of the precise financial impact of Internet control regimes such as China’s. Using data on Internet traffic disruption from a variety of sources, as well as data on financial performance based on the stock market, this paper offers empirical evidence for the protectionist effect of Internet censorship regimes and the underlying mechanisms by which this is achieved.

Author

• Meicen Sun, Massachusetts Institute of Technology