Defector Group Chats

For the skeptics, I will share a more concrete example. Group chats play a pivotal role in connecting North Korean defectors living in different Chinese rural villages. Many of these women are unable to leave their neighborhoods or even houses, but the digital space fostered in these group chats has created a sense of community for isolated, vulnerable defectors. Moreover, these women live in high-surveillance environments (by their Chinese families and the local police), demonstrating that these digital spaces are possible and constructive even under restrictive conditions.

Read one example here.

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