Bill Overview
Title: Otto Warmbier Countering North Korean Censorship and Surveillance Act of 2021
Description: This bill authorizes sanctions related to censorship in North Korea and addresses related issues. The President may impose property-blocking sanctions on foreign individuals and entities responsible for implementing or facilitating North Korea's censorship laws and surveillance. For the individuals that meet such criteria, the President may also impose visa-blocking sanctions. The bill also authorizes the U.S. Agency for Global Media to provide increased broadcasting and grants for various purposes, including the development of internet freedom tools to facilitate information sharing related to North Korea and the restoration of the agency's broadcasting capacity to North Korea. The President must submit to Congress a strategy to combat North Korea's information environment. The Department of State and the Department of the Treasury must jointly report to Congress each year on U.S. government activities related to the enforcement of sanctions against North Korea.
Sponsors: Sen. Portman, Rob [R-OH]
Target Audience
Population: Individuals affected by North Korean censorship and surveillance efforts
Estimated Size: 1000
- The bill targets censorship and surveillance in North Korea through sanctions, which aim to impact those responsible for these activities.
- By imposing property-blocking and visa sanctions, the bill directly targets foreign individuals and entities involved in North Korea's censorship and surveillance, impacting their operations and international movement.
- The bill supports the U.S. Agency for Global Media's efforts, potentially impacting people in North Korea by giving them access to more information and internet freedom tools.
- Those involved in the implementation and facilitation of North Korean censorship laws worldwide are likely to be most affected.
- People in North Korea may indirectly benefit from increased information access and international pressure on their government.
Reasoning
- The policy is targeted at foreign individuals and entities responsible for censorship and surveillance in North Korea. Therefore, the direct impact on American citizens is limited but may affect those in specific roles related to international sanctions, global media, and human rights initiatives.
- U.S. governmental agencies would be indirectly impacted through increased activities related to sanctions enforcement and reporting responsibilities, potentially shifting workloads and resources.
- Organizations working on internet freedom and media broadcasting might see changes in funding and project scopes, which could impact their operational strategies rather than individual wellbeing.
- General public is largely insulated from direct effects of this policy as it focuses on international governance issues rather than domestic regulations.
Simulated Interviews
Policy Analyst (Washington, D.C.)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy aligns with my work and could enhance the visibility of North Korean censorship issues.
- I support the efforts to increase pressure on North Korea through strategic sanctions.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Journalist (New York, NY)
Age: 30 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 1.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy provides more tools to gather information from North Korea, which could be useful for my work.
- As a journalist, I am always supportive of measures that increase transparency and access to information.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Human Rights Activist (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 52 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy is a step in the right direction but needs more robust funding and international cooperation to be truly effective.
- Increased broadcasting efforts are crucial for sharing human rights stories out of North Korea.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Software Developer (Chicago, IL)
Age: 34 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The funding and support for internet freedom tools will likely help advance my work in breaking internet censorship in authoritarian regimes.
- This policy could extend our services and impact into new areas, particularly for North Koreans.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Government Employee (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 28 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Our office will have more work but also more resources to handle it, thanks to this policy.
- There will be challenges in ensuring these sanctions are effective.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Professor (Seattle, WA)
Age: 41 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy could provide new material for research and case studies in my classes, which is academically stimulating.
- It's encouraging to see active measures being taken against censorship on a global scale.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Retired Diplomat (Boston, MA)
Age: 62 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Such policies are crucial but should be a part of a larger diplomatic strategy to be truly effective.
- I'm hopeful this will lead to more open communications with North Korea.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
NGO Worker (Austin, TX)
Age: 26 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy will likely lead to increased funding, which is beneficial for my projects on media freedom.
- Having more tools to counter censorship is always a positive in our line of work.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Cybersecurity Analyst (Miami, FL)
Age: 39 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy should bolster cyber operations against North Korean censorship efforts, which aligns with my line of work.
- More strategic pressure could effectively weaken North Korean cyber operations.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Public Policy Researcher (Denver, CO)
Age: 49 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy offers insights into how media delivery can be expanded into restricted regions like North Korea.
- Looking forward to analyzing the effectiveness of these measures.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $5000000 (Low: $4000000, High: $6000000)
Year 2: $5000000 (Low: $4000000, High: $6000000)
Year 3: $5000000 (Low: $4000000, High: $6000000)
Year 5: $5000000 (Low: $4000000, High: $6000000)
Year 10: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 100: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Key Considerations
- The effectiveness of sanctions in deterring North Korean censorship and surveillance is difficult to quantify.
- The increased funding for the U.S. Agency for Global Media could improve information dissemination but requires careful allocation to be effective.
- Monitoring and enforcement of sanctions might necessitate additional resources and coordination across different government agencies.
- Potential diplomatic considerations and responses from North Korea and its allies should be anticipated.
- There might be indirect effects on international relations, especially with countries that have economic ties with North Korea.