China's Secret Plan to Control the Internet

Wouldn't direct control of the Google and Apple App Stores be an easier way to control the global "Internet." While not the actual Internet, the 75% or so of the world who access the world primarily through smartphone could easily have their communications through a smartphone altered. Patches and changes to apps and browsers would control more thoughts/communications and only requires the manipulation of Google and/or Apple.

Ahh, haven't been able to watch it yet, too much coursework in too little time *Sheds a single manly tear*. Can't wait to see it after work though!

Although you are spot on, I think the CCP is fully aware that the DNS is not as important as it seems. It is all controlled via the so called Root Zone File, which is (nowadays) installed on every operating system. ICANN approves the entries in that file, which are the DNS Root Servers. The DNS Root Servers (a few dozen of them) are not operated by ICANN, but independent organizations. Now, IF China manages to manipulate this, they need the cooperation of Microsoft and Apple, and those companies knows that users may soon find out that Linux won't have these limitations and flee their platforms fairly quickly, i.e. a larger disincentive than the incentive of China market access. The only way to really control the Internet is to control the Internet Service Providers, i.e. the last-mile operators and the backbone operators, and that is what we need to look out for. So, just like China's take-over of Hong Kong was met with a lot of fear, this particular issue is likely over-hyped and not nearly as bad as many suggests.