China’s web censors go into overdrive as President Xi Jinping consolidates power
It's amazing to me how China is so effectively creating a 1984-type situation without much stir among the rest of the world. These chat programs are <i>super</i> important for everyday life in China. The same company that provides chatting also provides your ability to pay for everything, and a credit score that determines what you can buy, how much you pay, and more. So if you say something you shouldn't, this could very easily be something where your entire life is destroyed. If they choose, these ultimately government controlled companies can easily make it so you can't buy things anymore, you are not trusted anywhere, and even your friends all disconnect with you because your bad score could affect theirs.<p>Pretty scary.<p>It will be interesting to see how the Chinese government reacts to globally available, unfiltered internet via satellite, like the one SpaceX is making <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starlink_(satellite_constellation)" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starlink_(satellite_constellat...</a>