The master thesis aims to show the characteristics and mechanisms of internet censorship in China, taking into account the importance of understanding Chinese Confucian philosophical thought, the historical development and ideological/political objectives of the government, as well as the experiences of Chinese internet users and their attitudes towards the government’s censorship of the internet. The categorization and definition of censorship and Confucianism, the discussion on freedom of speech and harmonious society, and the historical context of censorship control in China form the first part of the master thesis. In the second part, we define the concept of internet censorship in comparison with the concept of internet regulation, look at the ideological or political objectives that shape government control over internet censorship, and outline the main characteristics of internet censorship in China, both at the macro level with the Great Firewall of China and VPNs and at the micro level with keyword filtering as the main mechanism for preventing unwanted information and circumventing censorship by online users. The third part discusses the applicability of the concept of the public sphere to China, analyses the internal and external obstacles to the development of an online public sphere, and defines the online public sphere in China and the characteristics of Chinese internet users. The last part is quantitative, covering a secondary analysis of research on users' experiences with internet censorship. In answer to all research questions, we show that Confucianism, especially through the teachings of »self-discipline« and »harmony/stability«, is still used to justify the Chinese government's censorship of the internet and is still to some extent embedded in the consciousness of internet users. Using the historical context of censorship control, we show that there is a shift from a »disciplinary society« to a »control society«. The ideological or political objectives of the government in relation to internet censorship show that it is primarily about preventing people from collectively engaging in rebellion, suppressing insults to the state, and suppressing rumours online. Through an explanation of the mechanisms and characteristics of internet censorship and user experiences, we show that all types of censorship (explicit, implicit, preventive, punitive, defensive, restriction of access to information and expression of information, defensive, and self-censorship) can be understood in the context of Chinese internet censorship. Finally, we conclude that the Chinese (online) sphere is partially structured. Despite the many internal and external obstacles to its development, it leaves room for discussion even on matters that are more controversial. Still, in the tightened and increasingly sophisticated way of internet censorship, there is less and less room for achieving lasting changes at the political level. We conclude that, despite the many signs of dissatisfaction in the online public sphere, factors such as the provision of material comfort, the maintenance of stability as a high value, and a consumer-oriented society, are still important for maintaining the legitimate power of government over internet censorship.
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