81–90 of 275 posts
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Please use your words next time, not a random dump of links you found compelling.
I've used my words many times and all that ever happens is that I get shouted down or called a conspiracy theorist, so I decided to lead with evidence directly responding to the OP's points, and then follow with words. Did you not see those?
Earlier quoted context omitted.
I think that in the west, we have a different dynamic between tech and government - one that makes a huge difference. In China, it would appear that the government is deeply involved with WeChat (which itself, is deeply entrenched in everybody's lives). This close co-operation gives them access and control to monitor their citizens - leaving the possibility of an Orwellian system. In the west, instead, its a little b…
>In the west, instead, its a little bit more back and forth between tech and government. Hand over data or shut down your company is the ultimatum.
[0]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FBI–Apple_encryption_dispute
Earlier quoted context omitted.
By no measure is China a freer society today than it was 10 years ago.
really? source please?
Pretty clear that less liberty is the outcome for all.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
The Chinese government will use WeChat data to arrest and make dissidents vanish. Fakenews is not a threat great enough to justify this. There is no equivalence between what is happening in China and what we are dealing with in the USA.
Kind of like the US government using Facebook data/communications to arrest people? Sounds very equal.
False equivalence doesn't pass for me. The USA has surveillance issues, but it isn't the prc.
I used to hold a kind of naive hope that the ham fisted Party would eventually be replaced with democracy. I remember back in 2011 my friends that were placed in moderately distinguished positions were sending their kids to Canada to collect foreign dual citizenship, fully expecting the collapse of the PRC in their lifetime. But now I think the Party is too good at maintaining itself. It's augmented by technology lik…
I think China take will the path to democracy most other democratic nations have taken including my own: As the middle class eventually grows big enough it will demand and get political influence ultimately creating democratic institutions (formal freedom of speech, parliaments, elections, referendums) as we have it in the west. It is easy to focus on a single news story and forgetting that China is a much freer soci…
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Broadly speaking, while the NSA’s spying is illegal, horrible, and despicable, they are not known to be used for political intimidation and censorship. I can very loudly protest against the president, or the NSA itself without fear of retribution. *Exceptions exist but these principles are 10000x stronger than China.
You've not heard of how the FBI tracked MLK, or anybody else who presented a genuine threat to the state or state ideology?
For example, you are allowed to go in front of the capital right now and spread the word of FBI actions re MLK. If you did this in China, you'd be sent to a reeducation camp, or simply killed and your organs harvested.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
I dunno. We're not anywhere near the level of China (here in the USA). To achieve that, we'd need 1. The fourth estate to become a government agency (functionally) 2. Facebook to have government agents on-site that employees have to follow the orders of 3. The existence of a "department of cultural well-being" with total authority to regulate art, media, news, etc 4. Laws on the books outlawing esoteric orwellian con…
Facebook's board of directors doesn't include goverment agents (even if retired)?
The PRC has active bureaucrats working in nearly every info company in the country. They are the Party's Cultural Representative and their word is law.
There is no equivalent in the USA, not even close.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Maybe there's a third option aside from continue the state quo or convert fully into a democracy? Maybe the party can evolve into something that's more and more benevolent to the people it governs? As a Chinese who emigrated because of the many social problems of China, I'm not sure switching to democracy right now will be beneficial for regular Chinese. You've all heard stories about how bad mannered Chinese tourist…
I hear you and understand you, but your argument is essentially nullified by the existence of Taiwan. We have proof positive that the Chinese culture is not only compatible with democracy, it flourishes beneath it.
1. examples: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Park_Chung-hee https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiang_Kai-shek
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Please use your words next time, not a random dump of links you found compelling.
I've used my words many times and all that ever happens is that I get shouted down or called a conspiracy theorist, so I decided to lead with evidence directly responding to the OP's points, and then follow with words. Did you not see those?
Certainly this approach was likely far less convincing - I feel no motivation whatsoever to click a bunch of random links having no idea their content. Furthermore, should I do so, I may arrive at a very different conclusion than you intend. I do give you props for coming to the table with so many sources, whether they're quality or not I have no idea.
This is indeed very scary especially now it requires facial recognition part... to sign up for WeChat, you need to have a valid phone number; to use WeChat pay, you got to provide real-name and official ID, bank account, etc. From the WeChat social network, relationships are easily identified. The mere existence of such tool is destine to be misused, regardless who made it. This is what real power looks like.
Isn't that a basic KYC procedure for every financial product like banking?