2019 must be year for revival of liberal spirit, not more control

China’s digital system overtly seeks to monitor the behaviour of its 1.4bn people, writes John Lloyd

A signature theme of the new year is the possibility of a malign confrontation between the world’s greatly enhanced capacity for electronic surveillance and the weakening of democratic control. The antidote to that risk is the democratic spirit and civil freedoms — both of which are suffering worldwide. These are not dead, but they are unwell, at times untended.