4 ms·

Isn't the US actually at least as bad if not worse? Thanks to Edward Snowden we know without speculation that the US "is hostile and leverages their power to ce

Isn't the US actually at least as bad if not worse? Thanks to Edward Snowden we know without speculation that the US "is hostile and leverages their power to censor/collect communication information from companies and their people without checks on this power" (ok, supposedly there is secret judges that secretly check on this power, but that doesn't really do any good does it?). The USA also "pressure companies to hand over PII on people they find to be political threats without due process" (so called "National Security Letters").

Baeocystin 6y ago
Short answer? No. Not even close. Source: have lived in both countries
- avanti 6y ago
  Have lived in both, I can say they are equal. Just different culture norms you have to learn to navigate around.
remarkEon 6y ago
The difference is that in the US we actually get to find out about these abuses.
patmorgan23 6y ago
People don't get disappeared for actively disagreeing with the government.
- guug 6y ago
  Usually, but they do get into unfortunate accidents from time to time.
- mirimir 6y ago
  That's true for US citizens. But not so much otherwise. Edit: Someone disagrees? Consider Guantanamo Bay, third-party renditions, and drone strikes. If China did drone strikes, there'd be a huge outcry.
- paypalcust83 6y ago
  The just get disappeared into Belmarsh and extradited to who knows where for telling the truth about the US military murdering civilians including journalists from a helicopter gunship.
- dboreham 6y ago
  Not until the second term.
- unixhero 6y ago
  How about renditions (extra judicial disappearings), black sites and extra judicial drone strikes?
deleted 6y ago
[deleted]
eightails 6y ago
I think that while both countries have the technology to facilitate censorship and oppression, the US is much more careful about how they do it. China isn't afraid to use their control over information to assist the oppression of Uighurs in 're-education' camps for example.
puppymaster 6y ago
Criticisms were/are made against NSA surveillances and in the case where government tried to silence such criticism (Snowden), opinions that support Snowden's actions were made and published, even made into books and movies, without repercussion. Bloggers that support Edward Snowden did not disappear. Movie directors and screenwriters are not made pariah by their industry or sent to Guantanamo. This sort of whataboutism does not surprise me but it's getting tiring when made repeatedly in disguise of intelligent discourse. It's dishonest because the difference is blatant.
raindropm 6y ago
I think at least the public can voice their opinion to certain degree in the US. In China...yeah, good luck with that.

Baeocystin 6y ago

Short answer? No. Not even close. Source: have lived in both countries

avanti 6y ago
Have lived in both, I can say they are equal. Just different culture norms you have to learn to navigate around.

remarkEon 6y ago

The difference is that in the US we actually get to find out about these abuses.

patmorgan23 6y ago

People don't get disappeared for actively disagreeing with the government.

guug 6y ago
Usually, but they do get into unfortunate accidents from time to time.
mirimir 6y ago
That's true for US citizens. But not so much otherwise. Edit: Someone disagrees? Consider Guantanamo Bay, third-party renditions, and drone strikes. If China did drone strikes, there'd be a huge outcry.
paypalcust83 6y ago
The just get disappeared into Belmarsh and extradited to who knows where for telling the truth about the US military murdering civilians including journalists from a helicopter gunship.
dboreham 6y ago
Not until the second term.
unixhero 6y ago
How about renditions (extra judicial disappearings), black sites and extra judicial drone strikes?

deleted 6y ago

[deleted]

eightails 6y ago

I think that while both countries have the technology to facilitate censorship and oppression, the US is much more careful about how they do it. China isn't afraid to use their control over information to assist the oppression of Uighurs in 're-education' camps for example.

puppymaster 6y ago

Criticisms were/are made against NSA surveillances and in the case where government tried to silence such criticism (Snowden), opinions that support Snowden's actions were made and published, even made into books and movies, without repercussion. Bloggers that support Edward Snowden did not disappear. Movie directors and screenwriters are not made pariah by their industry or sent to Guantanamo. This sort of whataboutism does not surprise me but it's getting tiring when made repeatedly in disguise of intelligent discourse. It's dishonest because the difference is blatant.

raindropm 6y ago

I think at least the public can voice their opinion to certain degree in the US. In China...yeah, good luck with that.