5 ms·

I for one absolutely put Tencent on the same level. One is software and user espionage and the other is hardware. Same coin.

jewelry 7y ago
As a Chinese lived in mainland China for 20 years, gotta say all you guys are overestimating the authoritarian.
- eschaton 7y ago
  Nah. There are literally historical and current events you’re not allowed to talk about in China without being arrested and charged with a crime or even disappeared. That’s not an overestimation, that’s the very definition of authoritarian.
  - magpi3 7y ago
    As someone who just came from China after living there for nine months, I think the better way to put it is this: you can talk about whatever you want, but if you make an effort to organize, initiate, or participate in a public discussion concerning a taboo topic, then you are putting yourself at risk. It's the appearance of an organizing that is really taboo. Of course please take my opinion with a grain of salt. I am a foreigner who was there less than a year.
    - friendlybus 7y ago
      A young girl (10? 12?) was a famous streamer than sung a line from the national anthem in a sing-songy way and was jailed for 'making fun of the nation anthem'. You can see the exact moment she realizes she messed up. advchina/serpentza/laowhy86 are the canaries in the coalmine atm.
- mycall 7y ago
  WeChat has authoritarian roots.
- throw0101a 7y ago
  > ... overestimating the authoritarian. Sure: * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xinjiang_re-education_camps https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xinjiang_re-education_camps
  - tthhuyid 7y ago
    For perspective, there are 2.3 million African Americans in prison.
    - sgustard 7y ago
      Absolutely a travesty, but still you're engaging in false equivalency. The difference in being jailed with or without some legal process is significant. Study up at https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-world/freedom-world-2018 https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-world/freedom-world-... and acknowledge that the US's score of 86/100 is a far cry from Canada's 99, but worlds ahead of China's 14.
      - pergadad 7y ago
        Freedom House is a US charity though. Looking at any other report will still show China much lower in the ranking but the US also not really looking as good as the land of freedom might see itself. How about a look at Reporters without borders, which ranks press freedom: US #48 (behind Botswana, Child and Romania) China #177 (of 180, so only ahead of Eritrea, NK and Turkmenistan) Or this HRW report will be an interestjng read: https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2019/country-chapters/united-states https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2019/country-chapters/unite...
      - IllogicalLogic 7y ago
        After 350 years of economic and social terrorism, I would say it's fair to say most of the AA people in jail did not have a fair legal process, they couldn't afford it even if you ignore the combination of systemic/overt racism. We have to remember there are two justice systems in this country and re-introducing slavery through the prison industrial complex was something we deliberately did without good reason.... not in response to dangerous extremism like in China.
- deleted 7y ago
  [deleted]
- tech-historian 7y ago
  Well, let's find out. Is this a true statement or not? China has no freedom of speech, the press, religion, or assembly. Also, is there a firewall that prevents you from accessing portions of the internet your government doesn't want you to see? (I've never been to China but this is what seems to be reported.)
- AFascistWorld 7y ago
  https://www.wsj.com/articles/jailed-for-a-text-chinas-censors-are-spying-on-mobile-chat-groups-1512665007 https://www.wsj.com/articles/jailed-for-a-text-chinas-censor...

jewelry 7y ago

As a Chinese lived in mainland China for 20 years, gotta say all you guys are overestimating the authoritarian.

eschaton 7y ago
Nah. There are literally historical and current events you’re not allowed to talk about in China without being arrested and charged with a crime or even disappeared. That’s not an overestimation, that’s the very definition of authoritarian.
- magpi3 7y ago
  As someone who just came from China after living there for nine months, I think the better way to put it is this: you can talk about whatever you want, but if you make an effort to organize, initiate, or participate in a public discussion concerning a taboo topic, then you are putting yourself at risk. It's the appearance of an organizing that is really taboo. Of course please take my opinion with a grain of salt. I am a foreigner who was there less than a year.
  - friendlybus 7y ago
    A young girl (10? 12?) was a famous streamer than sung a line from the national anthem in a sing-songy way and was jailed for 'making fun of the nation anthem'. You can see the exact moment she realizes she messed up. advchina/serpentza/laowhy86 are the canaries in the coalmine atm.
mycall 7y ago
WeChat has authoritarian roots.
throw0101a 7y ago
> ... overestimating the authoritarian. Sure: * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xinjiang_re-education_camps https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xinjiang_re-education_camps
- tthhuyid 7y ago
  For perspective, there are 2.3 million African Americans in prison.
  - sgustard 7y ago
    Absolutely a travesty, but still you're engaging in false equivalency. The difference in being jailed with or without some legal process is significant. Study up at https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-world/freedom-world-2018 https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-world/freedom-world-... and acknowledge that the US's score of 86/100 is a far cry from Canada's 99, but worlds ahead of China's 14.
    - pergadad 7y ago
      Freedom House is a US charity though. Looking at any other report will still show China much lower in the ranking but the US also not really looking as good as the land of freedom might see itself. How about a look at Reporters without borders, which ranks press freedom: US #48 (behind Botswana, Child and Romania) China #177 (of 180, so only ahead of Eritrea, NK and Turkmenistan) Or this HRW report will be an interestjng read: https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2019/country-chapters/united-states https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2019/country-chapters/unite...
    - IllogicalLogic 7y ago
      After 350 years of economic and social terrorism, I would say it's fair to say most of the AA people in jail did not have a fair legal process, they couldn't afford it even if you ignore the combination of systemic/overt racism. We have to remember there are two justice systems in this country and re-introducing slavery through the prison industrial complex was something we deliberately did without good reason.... not in response to dangerous extremism like in China.
deleted 7y ago
[deleted]
tech-historian 7y ago
Well, let's find out. Is this a true statement or not? China has no freedom of speech, the press, religion, or assembly. Also, is there a firewall that prevents you from accessing portions of the internet your government doesn't want you to see? (I've never been to China but this is what seems to be reported.)
AFascistWorld 7y ago
https://www.wsj.com/articles/jailed-for-a-text-chinas-censors-are-spying-on-mobile-chat-groups-1512665007 https://www.wsj.com/articles/jailed-for-a-text-chinas-censor...