The Guardian view on the splinternet: where China led, Iran and others are eagerly following | Editorial

Authoritarian states are increasingly shutting off or throttling access to the internet, creating separate spheres in a realm built on connection China boasts of having the world’s largest population of internet users: 1. 125 billion by the end of 2025, according to official figures . But as one joke has it, the Great Firewall – blocking not only politically sensitive material but also global tech firms such as Google and Meta – has produced what looks more like the world’s largest intranet.