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China blocks Meta's acquisition of AI startup Manus

cnbc.com

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Re: China blocks Meta's acquisition of AI startup Manus

#81

Post by EA-3167 »

soperj wrote: post #79
giwook wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Somehow I think there is a real possibility more will happen. Barring them from leaving the country feels a bit sinister for people who haven't been accused of committing any crimes. I don't claim to know what's going on outside of what's being reported, but I'm reminded of other individuals who have "stepped out of line" (as determined by Beijing) and were also either barred from the country or mysteriously disappea…

> Barring them from leaving the country feels a bit sinister for people who haven't been accused of committing any crimes. Feels like Guantanamo Bay all over again.

In what conceivable way?

Re: China blocks Meta's acquisition of AI startup Manus

#82

Post by Alive-in-2025 »

stego-tech wrote: post #70
nerdsniper wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Just last year the USA de-banked (from EU banks) EU citizens who are International Criminal Court officials for "opening preliminary investigations against Israeli personnel". The USA wields incredible power over financial interactions.

THANK YOU , I knew I was overlooking a recent example in favor of historical ones!

Trump is making it worse, but there had been examples of bad behavior. Now the US is completely uncontrolled. I can't say we wouldn't do something like happened here (trying to stop a foreign company from selling stuff or developing stuff) if it was doing something significant about weapons or ai.

Re: China blocks Meta's acquisition of AI startup Manus

#83

Post by JPKab »

maxglute wrote: post #59
reissbaker wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You've been all over this this thread responding with the same whataboutist comments claiming America does the same thing. And yet, I'm pretty sure America hasn't held American citizens hostage in order to force them to unwind a sale of a foreign company they founded to a different foreign company.

US absolutely has exit bans on people who break/is being investigated for national security and export control laws, which is what Manus did. Except Americans don't call it hostage taking when they do it.

Please cite an example.

Re: China blocks Meta's acquisition of AI startup Manus

#84

Post by HDThoreaun »

stego-tech wrote: post #67
catgary wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think you need to give some concrete examples, considering the US happily let its companies offshore a lot of work to China over the years, and Chinese funds own large chunks of American companies.

Okay! * The US and UK propped up the Iranian Shah to help western oil interests: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1953_Iranian_coup_d'état * US Export Controls basically handcuff anyone of import involved in creating anything of value to the state: https://www.investopedia.com/u-s-export-restrictions-6753407 * We continue to embargo Cuba instead of letting it succeed or fail on its own merits - while also controlling th…

None of this is similar to what is happening here

Re: China blocks Meta's acquisition of AI startup Manus

#85

Post by JPKab »

maxglute wrote: post #63

This just PRC finally applying their version of US export controls, i.e. PRC gets to control PRC originated algos, same argument as TikTok. The founders aren't held "hostage", they're under investigation for violating export control and national security laws. PRC hinted signalled pretty clearly they would use art12 (catch all clause) of export control laws and offshore affiliate rules (to address Singapore loophole)…

[flagged]

Re: China blocks Meta's acquisition of AI startup Manus

#86

Post by T-A »

EA-3167 wrote: post #81
soperj wrote: post #79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Barring them from leaving the country feels a bit sinister for people who haven't been accused of committing any crimes. Feels like Guantanamo Bay all over again.

In what conceivable way?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Residential_Surveillance_at_a_...

Re: China blocks Meta's acquisition of AI startup Manus

#87

Post by cermicelli »

giwook wrote: post #69
throw03172019 wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Dealt with is the founders / team / investors losing out of the $2B. That’s the punishment from China.

Somehow I think there is a real possibility more will happen. Barring them from leaving the country feels a bit sinister for people who haven't been accused of committing any crimes. I don't claim to know what's going on outside of what's being reported, but I'm reminded of other individuals who have "stepped out of line" (as determined by Beijing) and were also either barred from the country or mysteriously disappea…

[flagged]

Re: China blocks Meta's acquisition of AI startup Manus

#88

Post by intended »

stego-tech wrote: post #49
reissbaker wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You've been all over this this thread responding with the same whataboutist comments claiming America does the same thing. And yet, I'm pretty sure America hasn't held American citizens hostage in order to force them to unwind a sale of a foreign company they founded to a different foreign company.

[flagged]

> The details change, but the fundamental playbook - using state violence to coerce outcomes favorable to said state - is far from new. Hell,

There is a massive difference in degree and kind here. Mixing them up at this level is spherical cow territory.

Re: China blocks Meta's acquisition of AI startup Manus

#89

Post by umeshunni »

dublinstats wrote: post #36
umeshunni wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Meta absolutely does business in China. e.g. https://www.metacareers.com/v2/locations/shenzhen/?p[offices... https://www.metacareers.com/v2/locations/shanghai/?p[offices... https://www.metacareers.com/v2/locations/hongkong/?p[offices... I also assume, like most advertising platforms, they cater heavily to the China export market.

I don't think their social networks are allowed in China. From your link it looks like they might do R&D for Oculus in China (but may not even be able to sell it there due to the data-collection tie in required). Not sure what you mean by catering to the export market. b2b sales would be just as restricted as sales to consumers.

> b2b sales would be just as restricted as sales to consumers.

They're not. A significant part of ad spend by the likes of Temu, AliExpress, Shein and other Chinese exporters are on Meta's platforms: e.g. https://www.cnbc.com/2024/01/31/metas-continued-rally-could-...

Re: China blocks Meta's acquisition of AI startup Manus

#90

Post by boc »

stego-tech wrote: post #73
wewtyflakes wrote: post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think people are frustrated with the firehose of whataboutism rather than disagreeing with you with the idea that things are not perfect.

I mean, the whataboutism is a critical tool in negating propaganda. Rather than focus on the reprehensibility of anyone using threats of violence like this to force specific outcomes favorable to domestic policy, everyone is instead hung up on the fact China did this. Whataboutism, used effectively, is meant to draw parallels rather than excuse behavior. Fuck China for what it's doing here, but also fuck the countrie…

Whataboutism, used effectively, is designed to change the subject and stop detailed exploration of the topic at hand. Which is what you're doing in this thread. We don't need to turn a news-relevant thread specifically about the CCP into a thread relitigating decades of American government and business behavior. You can make a separate submission to discuss the US if you'd like.
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