Comment by tivert

> You're misunderstanding the point of the great firewall, which is to create an isolation effect on the Chinese net. Obviously a bunch of American e-refugees foils that. This absolutely is a massive change to the status quo.

I think you're misunderstanding. The point of the great firewall is to keep Chinese users from bypassing the Chinese censorship apparatus. A bunch of American e-refugees does not foil that, if all they can say are things acceptable to the Chinese government.

In fact, a bunch of American e-refugees can probably be parlayed into a propaganda win for the Chinese government strengthening the Great Firewall ("our stuff is so good that the Americans are seeking it out. Why look abroad when we have the best stuff? Stay inside the firewall.").