Five Predictions for Chinese Censorship in the Year of the Sheep

In the Year of the Sheep, which begins on Feb. 19, China’s censors will inevitably take new steps to advance the government narrative and constrict the space for dissent. Below are five media and Internet developments likely to take place:

1. A tightening Chinese firewall: Expect revamped regulatory entities like the Cyberspace Administration of China to tighten controls at home while working with other authoritarian regimes to promote “internet sovereignty” and change the rules of global Internet governance.
2. The first WeChat arrest: After a sweeping crackdown on the popular Weibo microblogging service, Chinese authorities have turned their sights to Tencent’s WeChat, an instant-messaging program used by hundreds of millions to which many Weibo users had migrated.
3. High censorship around China President Xi Jinping's first US visit as President
4. Jail time for more prominent free speech advocates
5. New attacks on Hong Kong media: In a political atmosphere of impunity, and efforts by Beijing to curb what it sees as anti-government activism, new physical and cyberattacks on journalists and other threats to media freedom are almost certain.