Citizen protest in the online networks: the case of the China’s bloody map

In the last few years, cyber-activism has become a very hot topic. In countries with authoritarian regimes, the Internet has offered new spaces of expression (Benkler, 2006). The recent emergence of social media and the Web 2.0 has increased this phenomenon. Social media offer innovative terrains of expression, less standardized and controlled. Particularly where public venues are too dangerous to express one's opinions, the blogs, Facebook pages and Twitter accounts may give voice to citizen‟ needs and ideas in a safer way.