> if you want an orwellian mass surveillance system I think this misses the point. Countries like US or Israel are perfectly capable [0][1][2] of offering such

> if you want an orwellian mass surveillance system I think this misses the point. Countries like US or Israel are perfectly capable [0][1][2] of offering such systems. And they do because it gives them another solid "string" attached to the regime receiving it. Their problem is that now the string (and all the knowledge, power, influence that come with it) could go to China. Hence the campaign to discredit them simply by suggesting this behavior is limited to them. Putting the facts in perspective would undermine this. [0] https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium.MAGAZINE-israel-s-cyber-spy-industry-aids-dictators-hunt-dissidents-and-gays-1.6573027 https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium.MAGAZINE-israel... [1] https://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/report-saudi-arabia-used-israeli-tech-to-try-and-track-dissident-in-canada-1.6517064 https://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/report-saudi-arabia... [2] https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2019/01/17/how-us-surveillance-technology-is-propping-up-authoritarian-regimes/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2019/01/17/how-us-sur...