Read on Twitter
Wow. The EO against Bytedance is likely just backstopping the urgency of a sale. But taking action against Tencent has major implications, including for how members of the Chinese diaspora communicate with relatives back home...
Moreover, unlike w/ #TikTok where there was an entire CFIUS review process, it’s not clear at all that this #WeChat move has been thought through.
They are different apps, w/different user bases, different types of communication, & different levels of popularity around the world.
They are different apps, w/different user bases, different types of communication, & different levels of popularity around the world.
Great thread on some of these differences. https://twitter.com/lizalinwsj/status/1291558294243295233
The dichotomous way this may effect American companies operating in China also underscores how rushed and rash this move seems.
https://twitter.com/paulmozur/status/1291557043304767488?s=21 https://twitter.com/paulmozur/status/1291557043304767488
https://twitter.com/paulmozur/status/1291557043304767488?s=21 https://twitter.com/paulmozur/status/1291557043304767488
Which is not to say that there aren’t lengthy grievances with #WeChat. https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.dw.com/en/china-jails-journalist-for-picking-quarrels-with-communist-party/a-53301119
And on COVID-19 censorship... https://citizenlab.ca/2020/03/censored-contagion-how-information-on-the-coronavirus-is-managed-on-chinese-social-media/
And on surveilling international users outside of China as well to better train its censorship algorithms. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/05/07/wechat-users-outside-china-face-surveillance-while-training-censorship-algorithms/%3foutputType=amp
But the whole idea behind this Mr. Clean initiative coming from State was that 30 countries in theory were signing up to it.
Leading with a WeChat ban is going to be a tough way to build prcinpled multilateral support to contest China’s information and influence ops.
Leading with a WeChat ban is going to be a tough way to build prcinpled multilateral support to contest China’s information and influence ops.
And more evidence that this policy is being worked out in real-time as the Trump Admin figures out what tools for a ban are at its disposal.
In addition to seeming disorganized, there’s a real national security cost to this... https://twitter.com/nwadhams/status/1291580647946035200?s=21 https://twitter.com/nwadhams/status/1291580647946035200
In addition to seeming disorganized, there’s a real national security cost to this... https://twitter.com/nwadhams/status/1291580647946035200?s=21 https://twitter.com/nwadhams/status/1291580647946035200
That cost is the perception battle — how policy is messaged matters.
Already Chinese propaganda has already had a field day with this week’s comments.
Isn’t protecting our information space what this is all about in the first place?
Already Chinese propaganda has already had a field day with this week’s comments.
Isn’t protecting our information space what this is all about in the first place?
Oh the irony of the CCP using "market principles" as a defense.
"China said on Thursday (Aug 6) it was firmly opposed to the US government's action to block Chinese apps, and said the move went against market principles and had no factual basis." https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/china-says-it-is-firmly-opposed-to-us-action-to-block-chinese-apps
"China said on Thursday (Aug 6) it was firmly opposed to the US government's action to block Chinese apps, and said the move went against market principles and had no factual basis." https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/china-says-it-is-firmly-opposed-to-us-action-to-block-chinese-apps
