"China exact same things were happening here in the West"
No, there's really no comparison.
A justice system, with reasonable information to infer a crime, seeking a warrant, using rules and regulations that have integrity, oversight, sanctioned by a Judge, following specific rules of access with certain, proportional criteria - is nothing like 'China'.
In fact, we are already subject to that, everywhere in Europe, just not your messaging apps.
It is not totalitarian whatsoever - there is just the risk of totalitarianism creeping in. A risk, which quite frankly is overstated. There is almost zero material harm that comes to innocent individuals as a result of these policies in states with lawful civic infrastructure. There can be, but it's rare and again, the 'problem' is more expansive and that an authoritarian takes power and uses the system for unlawful purposes.
China does not have an independent legal system, or much concern for human rights. The CCP uses these things to censor every day speech on a variety of topics - even for the most innocuous things like comparing Xi to 'Winnie the Pooh' let alone for discussing things like Tibet, Hong Kong, or Taiwan privately.
The CPP uses these controls as an 'total and complete information and thought control system' that interjects into every aspect of life. If you talk bad about Xi on your 'chat'- that will literally go on your file. It could affect your credit, promotional opportunities, how the justice system treats you etc..
They have successfully suppressed and controlled dialogue on a variety of issues - this system is frankly the CCP's most powerful means of control, far more so than anything physical like the 'police' or the 'army'.
Western governments want to use it to go after people making bombs, sex traffickers, and tax evaders. There is no chance that the German government is going to send police to your house because you said 'Angela Merkel is a clown and needs to go!' to your buddy on WeChat. There is a chance some future government could to it, for the wrong reasons, and that's cause for come concern, but it's not pragmaticaly the issue.
>A justice system, with reasonable information to infer a crime, seeking a warrant, using rules and regulations that have integrity, oversight, sanctioned by a Judge, following specific rules of access with certain, proportional criteria - is nothing like 'China'.
LMFAO imagine saying that with a straight face in 2020 when US nabs people off the street in unmarked vans, and the judicial branch is staffed by political partisans actively working withe the republican party to steal the election.
No, there's really no comparison.
A justice system, with reasonable information to infer a crime, seeking a warrant, using rules and regulations that have integrity, oversight, sanctioned by a Judge, following specific rules of access with certain, proportional criteria - is nothing like 'China'.
In fact, we are already subject to that, everywhere in Europe, just not your messaging apps.
It is not totalitarian whatsoever - there is just the risk of totalitarianism creeping in. A risk, which quite frankly is overstated. There is almost zero material harm that comes to innocent individuals as a result of these policies in states with lawful civic infrastructure. There can be, but it's rare and again, the 'problem' is more expansive and that an authoritarian takes power and uses the system for unlawful purposes.
China does not have an independent legal system, or much concern for human rights. The CCP uses these things to censor every day speech on a variety of topics - even for the most innocuous things like comparing Xi to 'Winnie the Pooh' let alone for discussing things like Tibet, Hong Kong, or Taiwan privately.
The CPP uses these controls as an 'total and complete information and thought control system' that interjects into every aspect of life. If you talk bad about Xi on your 'chat'- that will literally go on your file. It could affect your credit, promotional opportunities, how the justice system treats you etc..
They have successfully suppressed and controlled dialogue on a variety of issues - this system is frankly the CCP's most powerful means of control, far more so than anything physical like the 'police' or the 'army'.
Western governments want to use it to go after people making bombs, sex traffickers, and tax evaders. There is no chance that the German government is going to send police to your house because you said 'Angela Merkel is a clown and needs to go!' to your buddy on WeChat. There is a chance some future government could to it, for the wrong reasons, and that's cause for come concern, but it's not pragmaticaly the issue.