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I can buy location data on millions of people across the world right now from American companies who make free apps What exactly is stopping the Chinese from b

I can buy location data on millions of people across the world right now from American companies who make free apps What exactly is stopping the Chinese from buying that same data? Name one hindrance they will face, please. The delusional jingoism on HN is painful to fight. https://apnews.com/f6a83c0b8e0a65563e4c76955c37c0ab https://apnews.com/f6a83c0b8e0a65563e4c76955c37c0ab

abc-xyz 6y ago
But they cannot buy the same data - the quantity and quality of the data they obtain themselves (through apps like TikTok and WeChat that are running in the background 24/7 while collecting any information possible, such as secretly copying your clipboard which is likely to reveal passwords and other sensitive information) is far higher than what they could pay for. You’re also ignoring the fact that they can use their apps to easily spread propaganda and influence elections. They’ve already censored videos that criticized the Chinese government. And inside the app then they have a very prominent “Covid-19” button where they can cherrypick what information to display.. they’ve for instance chosen to omit the fact that the Wuhan Virus originated in China.
- Talanes 6y ago
  > they’ve for instance chosen to omit the fact that the Wuhan Virus originated in China. Any social media platforms using the term "Wuhan Virus" would be a bigger sign of governmental propaganda than the lack is.
  - abc-xyz 6y ago
    It’s what everyone, including China, referred to it as before the CCP realized how serious it was and went on a campaign to rewrite history and distance themselves from responsibility.
  - Chakazul 6y ago
    For the record, "Wuhan Pneumonia" and "Wuhan Virus" were widely used by official news coverage in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and guess what, Mainland China, before the WHO suddenly dictated all people must use "Covid-19" or else you're racist or propagandist. This trick is very effective in erasing the obvious link between the virus and its origin.
    - lalaland1125 6y ago
      Yes, of course the goal is to erase the "obvious link" between the virus and the its origin. The thing is, people are irrational and will start discriminating in weird and unnecessary ways based on where a virus came from. See https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/03/20/coronavirus-trump-chinese-virus/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/03/20/coronavirus... Nobody is trying to erase "history" or anything. Anybody actually interested can always read about the origin location of the virus in Wikipedia. This is all about keeping things straightforward for the otherwise uninformed. Note that this is a standard virus naming methodology. The Ebola virus was similarly intentionally named to avoid unintentionally creating a target for discrimination.
  - programmarchy 6y ago
    Would you say the names West Nile, Zika, and MERS are also signs of propaganda?
    - Talanes 6y ago
      No, because those were all in common use. It shouldn't matter whether you think Wuhan virus or COVID is the propaganda-name, a company just defaulting to the most common term for their market is not a useful sign of propaganda. Using Tik Tok's Covid information as proof of propaganda is just looking at noise and pretending it's data.

abc-xyz 6y ago

But they cannot buy the same data - the quantity and quality of the data they obtain themselves (through apps like TikTok and WeChat that are running in the background 24/7 while collecting any information possible, such as secretly copying your clipboard which is likely to reveal passwords and other sensitive information) is far higher than what they could pay for. You’re also ignoring the fact that they can use their apps to easily spread propaganda and influence elections. They’ve already censored videos that criticized the Chinese government. And inside the app then they have a very prominent “Covid-19” button where they can cherrypick what information to display.. they’ve for instance chosen to omit the fact that the Wuhan Virus originated in China.

Talanes 6y ago
> they’ve for instance chosen to omit the fact that the Wuhan Virus originated in China. Any social media platforms using the term "Wuhan Virus" would be a bigger sign of governmental propaganda than the lack is.
- abc-xyz 6y ago
  It’s what everyone, including China, referred to it as before the CCP realized how serious it was and went on a campaign to rewrite history and distance themselves from responsibility.
- Chakazul 6y ago
  For the record, "Wuhan Pneumonia" and "Wuhan Virus" were widely used by official news coverage in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and guess what, Mainland China, before the WHO suddenly dictated all people must use "Covid-19" or else you're racist or propagandist. This trick is very effective in erasing the obvious link between the virus and its origin.
  - lalaland1125 6y ago
    Yes, of course the goal is to erase the "obvious link" between the virus and the its origin. The thing is, people are irrational and will start discriminating in weird and unnecessary ways based on where a virus came from. See https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/03/20/coronavirus-trump-chinese-virus/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/03/20/coronavirus... Nobody is trying to erase "history" or anything. Anybody actually interested can always read about the origin location of the virus in Wikipedia. This is all about keeping things straightforward for the otherwise uninformed. Note that this is a standard virus naming methodology. The Ebola virus was similarly intentionally named to avoid unintentionally creating a target for discrimination.
- programmarchy 6y ago
  Would you say the names West Nile, Zika, and MERS are also signs of propaganda?
  - Talanes 6y ago
    No, because those were all in common use. It shouldn't matter whether you think Wuhan virus or COVID is the propaganda-name, a company just defaulting to the most common term for their market is not a useful sign of propaganda. Using Tik Tok's Covid information as proof of propaganda is just looking at noise and pretending it's data.