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U.S. attorney general: Hollywood, tech companies “pawns of Chinese influence”

reuters.com

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Re: U.S. attorney general: Hollywood, tech companies “pawns of Chinese influence”

#181

Post by refurb »

tw04 wrote: post #178
refurb wrote: post #172

Earlier quoted context omitted.

1. Opinion piece 2. Lots of “allegedly” 3. Trump favors Russia in G7, apparently that means our leadership is under Russian influence 4. Trumps denial of influence Not too convincing so far.

Lol, intelligence from CIA sources is an opinion piece? Let me guess, Trump is the best president of your lifetime? I notice you failed to address manafort, stone, and Flynn. None of which was “allegedly”.

It’s an opinion piece from one person who worked at the CIA and just is “don’t bother working with Russia, they aren’t interest”.

Clear proof of Trumps collusion with Russia!

Let me guess, you think the secret Russian dossier is real?

Re: U.S. attorney general: Hollywood, tech companies “pawns of Chinese influence”

#182

Post by thephyber »

jerrac wrote: post #171
thephyber wrote: post #163

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Outsourcing ethics to Government regulation is just plain wrong. This is a category error. Companies have an existential incentive to chase profits (and their managers can be sued by the shareholders for doing anything less). Their incentive to avoid violating laws, morals, and ethics is far lower. > is just plain wrong What is the consequence? Does anyone in the USA strictly avoid buying anything from any company…

> This is a category error. Companies have an existential incentive to chase profits (and their managers can be sued by the shareholders for doing anything less). Their incentive to avoid violating laws, morals, and ethics is far lower. Holding firm to a strong sense of ethics and morals is a risky thing to do. Whether you're representing a company, or just acting as an individual. But that risk does not justify NOT…

I agree that's how things should work, but I agree with a sibling comment that the fitness function of companies right now in the USA doesn't select for the attributes you are describing.

I act that way, but I've never worked for any of the most successful companies in my industry. That's probably not a coincidence.

Re: U.S. attorney general: Hollywood, tech companies “pawns of Chinese influence”

#183

Post by vmception »

thephyber wrote: post #168
vmception wrote: post #7

What it really comes down to is determining if we are doing the Cold War thing or not. To many of us, the cold war is over, and the other 300 years of rolling the nation state concept across the world is over too. As it is very easy to operate in a borderless global economy - at least between major economic unions - if you are privileged enough. If you absolutely need people to pick a side again, just say so. Otherwi…

Relevant: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thucydides_Trap It's relevant to understand that China's government/business relationship and their IP enforcement + state-sponsored hacking is considered the normal course of business in their (current?) value system. In the USA, the government/business relationship is (ostensibly) very different (although campaign finance + lobbying makes this claim dubious), so the US could…

Yes, China is in a position to wait.

In African markets (there are many), there is often instability and for the foreign entrepreneurs the way to navigate that is just knowing that there will simply be a different strongman to pay.

From a Chinese perspective, America must just be the same and on a more predictable 4-year cycle.

Re: U.S. attorney general: Hollywood, tech companies “pawns of Chinese influence”

#184

Post by dangus »

xbar wrote: post #94
jhpriestley wrote: post #22

Barr didn't seem too concerned about foreign influence when it came to a national security advisor lying to the government about cash payments from Turkey and illegal coordination with Russia.

Do you think he is wrong about the CCP?

A broken clock is right twice a day.

This is the problem with the entire Trump administration. To me they seem to be right about some issues related to China.

But it’s hard to take anything they say seriously when they’re so deeply pro-corruption, and the commander in chief can’t stand in front of a camera and be honest about what he had for breakfast this morning.

Oh, I forgot to mention that if it’s Goya, it has to be good!

Re: U.S. attorney general: Hollywood, tech companies “pawns of Chinese influence”

#185

Post by muleroid »

Aunche wrote: post #142
muleroid wrote: post #134

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Historically the US trade relationship with China was based on a principal that doing so would encourage the adoption of democracy there. Seeing as how that hasn't happened, this kind of rhetoric could just be an attempt to course correct (maybe overly so). I'm sure the upcoming elections also play a part in this. The article briefly mentions that as well.

Encouraging the adoption of democracy is never a true goal to any geopolitical decision. It's only used to deflect criticism from naysayers. The US has used the same justification to bomb nations and install fascist dictators. "You oppose going to war with Iraq? So you hate democracy then?"

For sure, it's much easier to sell any decision if you package it in terms of values and ideals that your population is willing to embrace. It's as true for the US as it is any other country in the world.

Re: U.S. attorney general: Hollywood, tech companies “pawns of Chinese influence”

#186

Post by usefulcat »

jerrac wrote: post #171
thephyber wrote: post #163

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Outsourcing ethics to Government regulation is just plain wrong. This is a category error. Companies have an existential incentive to chase profits (and their managers can be sued by the shareholders for doing anything less). Their incentive to avoid violating laws, morals, and ethics is far lower. > is just plain wrong What is the consequence? Does anyone in the USA strictly avoid buying anything from any company…

> This is a category error. Companies have an existential incentive to chase profits (and their managers can be sued by the shareholders for doing anything less). Their incentive to avoid violating laws, morals, and ethics is far lower. Holding firm to a strong sense of ethics and morals is a risky thing to do. Whether you're representing a company, or just acting as an individual. But that risk does not justify NOT…

> So, if you run a company, and you're afraid of getting sued by your shareholders for not pursuing profit at the expense of your ethics and morals, I'd suggest finding a new job.

Who’s to say that’s not exactly what normally happens? In which case it should surprise no one that those who remain are disproportionately lacking in ethics and morals.

Re: U.S. attorney general: Hollywood, tech companies “pawns of Chinese influence”

#187

Post by justinzollars »

sidibe wrote: post #146
justinzollars wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Steering this back to Google's decision to pull out of China after exploits - the Tech Industry has expressed views that have cost it significant amounts of revenue. We've fought back unlike other industries.

It's funny to see Google/Facebook get slagged over China. Anyone who truly cared about companies doing business in China should try to discriminate between companies that are actually doing what they are arguing for and the ones that aren't, but often I think it's just another hammer to bash the companies they don't like.

What do you mean by that?

Re: U.S. attorney general: Hollywood, tech companies “pawns of Chinese influence”

#188

Post by threatofrain »

fouc wrote: post #23
threatofrain wrote: post #6

> Barr suggested that Apple iPhones “wouldn’t be sold (in China) if they were impervious to penetration by Chinese authorities.” He suggested American tech companies were imposing a “double standard.”

IIRC, last year Apple setup a server within China for holding the iCloud security keys for the Chinese-owned iPhones? Definitely some collaboration there..

But what about Apple's end-to-end encrypted messaging?

Re: U.S. attorney general: Hollywood, tech companies “pawns of Chinese influence”

#190

Post by tmathmeyer »

api wrote: post #102
RcouF1uZ4gsC wrote: post #80

Earlier quoted context omitted.

These companies are putting up quotes like: "Silence is not an option" and "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere" While happily doing business with the CCP, and keeping mum about Chinese human rights abuses.

There's a simple economic explanation for this. There are more black (and BLM sympathizers of other races) customers in the US for these companies than there are Chinese customers and especially Chinese customers affected by CCP injustices. On the flip side the CCP gates access to the enormous Chinese market. Result: in the US signaling support for civil rights issues is probably a net win, while for China sucking up…

Yes, the person you're replying to probably knows _why_ the companies make the conflicting statements they do, and is choosing to give criticism to whomever made that decision.
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