It is almost impossible to imagine life without social media in our day and age. We live in a world where people are connected by their devices and social media platforms, and social media is an integral part of everyday life. There is one country in which social media remains completely banned: North Korea. The country is incredibly secretive and isolated, and social media usage is highly restricted. Citizens’ access to the Internet and social media is closely monitored by the government, and those who have access to the Internet are limited to the government-run intranet, which does not include social media. Only 1% of the population has access to the global Internet, according to estimates As a result, the government heavily censors online content, and it has been reported that it employs a “digital gulag” to track and monitor its citizens’ online activities. In North Korea, access to the outside world is limited, so North Koreans do not have access to the same social media platforms around the world.
The country does not have Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube accounts, so North Koreans are not able to interact with those outside the country through social media. State-run messaging service Kwangmyong, however, enables North Koreans to communicate with each other via text. The service allows North Koreans to send messages, access news, and download videos. Due to the lack of access to social media in North Korea, some unexpected outcomes have occurred because it is also used for propaganda and for monitoring the country’s citizens. It is difficult, for example, for the government to reach a large audience, making its propaganda less effective than it could have been. It has also been necessary for North Koreans to use alternative communications methods, such as word-of-mouth and physical mail, to stay in touch. Social media have also prevented North Koreans from engaging in meaningful activities, such as spending time with family, learning new skills, or engaging in physical activity, as a result of their lack of access.
It is still possible for North Koreans to keep in touch with the outside world despite the lack of access to social media
