Trump’s WeChat curbs halted by judge on free speech concerns

Post by FranzFerdiNaN » Mon, Sep 21, 2020, 6:01 AM UTC

codedokode wrote: post #267

propogandist wrote: post #222

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>The difference between TikTok and WeChat and FB/Google/Twitter is obvious: the former are to some degree controlled by China and the latter are private entities. to some degree? No, they are completely controlled by China. > "WeChatApp spies on the content that all users send to each other, including Americans. The results are fed into their censorship of Chinese users" [1] - Key findings rom the Citizen lab researc…

And at the same time FB/Google/Twitter are controlled by US government. If they do something "wrong", they get called to Congress to talk and change their mind. This is not what a truly independent company would do. Truly independent company would tell Congress to mind their own business and not bother them.

Post by leric » Mon, Sep 21, 2020, 6:25 AM UTC

bigpumpkin wrote: post #209

wvenable wrote: post #205

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> trampling on WeChat's first amendment rights As a non-American, my question is why does WeChat have first amendment rights? It's not an American company.

American citizens that use WeChat have first amendment rights

Post by apta » Mon, Sep 21, 2020, 6:30 AM UTC

hurrdurr2 wrote: post #246

solaarphunk wrote: post #224

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No. I need it to conduct business, and that's more important to me than posting or discussing controversial topics. People in China literally do not use email, so this is the only effective method to get things done (which I'm totally ok with!). This ban would be an absolute disaster for me, given that my entire rolodex are WeChat contacts, not email addresses. I also feel for my friends who have family in China, and…

The average American has no idea how disruptive this is to the Chinese American community; as you stated they basically do not use email, and this is essentially the only way to communicate to friends and family in China. I know a lot of older Chinese Americans who were freaking out for weeks because banning this app would essentially cut them off with no clear alternatives. As to the censorship point, from my experi…

Post by mav3rick » Mon, Sep 21, 2020, 7:03 AM UTC

lhorie wrote: post #281

tatrajim wrote: post #123

Honest question for Chinese users of WeChat: have you ever thought twice about WeChat posts and communications, whether they'll be deemed "acceptable" to censors? Everyone I know self-censors nearly constantly, if unconsciously. A good example: in a discussion of this case I was reading today in Chinese the author ironically noted that he couldn't summarize the US government's position because in a large WeChat group…

I don't use wechat myself but my wife is chinese. From what she tells me, many of her mainland china childhood friends, (including those she considered progressive) strongly disagree with many ideas americans consider fundamentally correct. For example, it's pretty normal for Americans to bicker about politics and criticize the government, especially because of its highly polarized political landscape. Many mainland…

Post by pldr1234 » Mon, Sep 21, 2020, 8:12 AM UTC

hutzlibu wrote: post #12

bluedays wrote: post #4

I always wondered how we squared disallowing things like WeChat and TikTok with freedom of speech. This whole thing feels a bit hyperbolic. Is there real danger lurking around the corner if we allow people to shit post on TikTok, for instance? Genuinely curious here.

The danger lies in letting a foreign government controll the communication of americans. But for me as a german, I actually neither want the chinese, nor the US-government (nor the german government) to controll my communication.