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China Adopts Controversial Cybersecurity Law; Experts Say It Will Hurt Businesses (techcrunch.com)
The Chinese government today passed new cybersecurity regulations that will put stringent new requirements on technology companies operating in the country. The proposed Cybersecurity Law comes with data localization, surveillance, and real-name requirements. From a TechCrunch report:The regulation would require instant messaging services and other internet companies to require users to register with their real names and personal information, and to censor content that is "prohibited." Real name policies restrict anonymity and can encourage self-censorship for online communication. The law also includes a requirement for data localization, which would force "critical information infrastructure operators" to store data within China's borders. According to Human Rights Watch, an advocacy organization that is opposing the legislation, the law does not include a clear definition of infrastructure operators, and many businesses could be lumped into the definition. "The law will effectively put China's Internet companies, and hundreds of millions of Internet users, under greater state control," said Sophie Richardson, Human Rights Watch's China director. HRW maintains that, while many of the regulations are not new, most were informal or only laid out in low-level law -- and implementing the measures on a broader level will lead to stricter enforcement.
Finally, China has caught up to the USA in anti-privacy and censorship. Congrats, China.
How is this so different from what the US government says they need to do to "keep us safe"?
Ah yes, the old "Everybody does it" fallacy ... and from an AC, which is illegal in China. Look, America has some government overreach, but we have no "real name" requirement, there are no "prohibited" topics, and data localization is not required. The objectives as well as the methods differ: America's monitoring is designed to catch bad guys, not to suppress discussion or prevent the flow of information.
I don't know why we don't tariff these guys. We readily allow their products and services in, yet they put up barriers to our software and services, creating lopsided trade. If we keep giving in, they'll keep doing it.
Table-ized A.I.
How is this so different from what the US government says they need to do to "keep us safe"?
It is different because people in the U.S. talk about policies that require real names, and even about censoring, while in China the government has implemented real name policies and censorship.
There is a big difference between random people talking about something, and a government actuallly doing it.
http://www.geoffreylandis.com
China is just being more honest about what the USA already does behind the scenes. You think everything you do online isn't tracked by the NSA? Go back and reread the Snowden disclosures.
I've read the Snowden disclosures. I don't think you have.
The NSA does not require users to register with their real names and personal information on websites; they don't censor content that is "prohibited", and they don't shut down internet social media that refuse to register their users' real names.
Until the definition of "bad guys" changes, stupid.
See if you can spot the difference:
1. Country C is censoring speech.
2. Country A might censor speech someday.
These are not the same thing, and it is absurd to suggest they are.