Close All Tabs Lessons for U.S. Netizens from Behind China’s Great Firewall
Feb 18, 2026
Yi-Ling Liu, writer on tech and censorship in China and author of The Wall Dancers, explains how China’s Great Firewall shapes everyday online life. She recounts creative workarounds by Chinese internet users, the rise and fall of queer platforms like Blued, and what American netizens should learn from another internet ecosystem. Short, surprising, and sharply observed.
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Walled Garden Is Not A Barren Void
- China’s “walled garden” is restrictive yet full of unique cultural innovation and creativity.
- Yi-Ling Liu argues the firewall shapes a distinct internet ecosystem rather than an empty void.
Censorship Focuses On Preventing Mobilization
- The Great Firewall aims chiefly to prevent collective action, not to erase all dissenting information.
- Yi-Ling Liu says the system succeeds at stopping mobilization while allowing much creative expression to persist.
How Danlan Began In A Small-Town Internet Cafe
- Ma Baoli discovered queer community online as a teen and built Danlan from a bare-bones website into a networked hub.
- The site grew from chat rooms and blurry photos into a lifesaving community for queer people across provinces.
