Importing Chinese Surveillance Technology: Are Central Asian States on the Path to Digital Authoritarianism?

Abstract

Many states throughout the world have rapidly developed their digital surveillance networks over the last few years by building Safe City projects that utilize advanced facial recognition technology. While this is not surprising within the developed world, the developing world has been able to access advanced surveillance technology largely by purchasing that technology from Chinese Information Communication Technology companies, who are operating within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative. This thesis explores how regime type, state-capacity, and regulatory environments affect the potential for developing digital surveillance capacity by examining surveillance networks in four Central Asian states and Ecuador. I find that state-capacity has a positive relationship to the development of digital surveillance capacity, while democratization has little impact when paired with an ineffective regulatory environment.