On my first trip to mainland China, I remember trying to connect to WiFi when I arrived at my hotel. It took me a while to work out whether I was actually online. All the apps I usually might load to check my connection – Google, WhatsApp, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Gmail – were blocked. As well as demonstrating the power of the Chinese firewall, it made me realise how much influence US technology firms have. The bulk of my online activity is in the hands of just three companies.
