Huawei Technicians Helped African Governments Spy on Political Opponents
Huawei will likely become the main competition for NSO group and companies like it, but that's the least of the worlds worries.<p>Governments with resource wealth don't need large public services that would operate a sophisticated intelligence service, so they outsource it. So far these governments have been doing point targeting against dissidents w/ mercenary surveillance companies, but it's possible these companies  are about to be steamrolled by one that implements their products as a free feature of their entire infrastructure.<p>The bargain will be, we'll support your campaign/coup and modernize your infrastructure for your people, while giving you intel we collect on your dissidents and opposition. Then, once Huawei infrastructure is ensconced, no government will get into power who does not have support from China. A very "harmonious," cycle. Want be be elected again? Secure our rights to extract rare earth minerals. Etc.<p>The company is a projection of Chinese state power, not unlike western telcoms with 5EYES and the ITU has been. The difference is the Party lacks the sentimentality of western countries when it comes to issues of total surveillance and intervention to maintain control. (Albeit, we have never been above supporting butchers either, so YMMV.)<p>My prediction is that once the Huawei gear is in place, a  country's political class will turn to face east on policy and resource questions. It's pure leverage. Western tech companies can't make the same promises to those governments either. It's not like Google can promise to prop up the next Idi Amin, but Huawei doesn't have that constraint.  So far, the world has been content to deal with the devil it knows.<p>Anyway, I'd say this article is an anecdote of a larger geopolitical shift. Containing Huawei should be a national  security priority for everyone, but tbh, it's looking more and more like our respective mere leviathans have become oversized, slow moving prey for their hydra.