Chinas new global activism law

[Morae]

I just found out about this on youtube.



Don't know if you think UE, but its still news. Probably can find it elsewhere too. Guess what, those comments about china might be illegal now. If you or anyone related to you ever travels to china, you might get arrested immediately for something you said online.

How far do you think this sort of thing will go? Companies like actiblizz will probably bow down towards china. Yet, to what effect? US citizen says something in US and gets banned over it since blizz has to agree with china's laws, if they want to do business there?

Only true activism gets hit? Negative comments about china? Something like this thread just informing people of it?


If this should be in politics (or somewhere else), mod can move it there.

[PosPosPos]

Perfectly sums up my thoughts on this matter.

[Saltysquidoon]

Wasn't ol' uncle Winnie crying foul over jurisdiction the other day?

[Morae]

The problem here what I'm concerned most about is not how me or you or any single person acts, but how companies will act. Like blizz. Will there be china style cencorship in games in future? They have to, if they want to do business in china.

[PC2]

How far do you think this sort of thing will go?

For as long as China keeps growing in economic size. It may not truly end until China experiences a local depression that causes the average Chinese people to disapprove of the CCP which then forces them to start an incremental transition into democracy and all the related cultural values. Ultimately this isn't really a problem for the world it is just an attempt to slow down the amount of information and reasonable criticisms that reach the ears of Chinese people. I view it as futile because the the growth and spreading of information is like an unstoppable force.

[niztheundead87]

China is no more than the typical dystopian place you see in movies. Think of the demolition man movie.

[Draco-Onis]

For as long as China keeps growing in economic size. It may not truly end until China experiences a local depression that causes the average Chinese people to disapprove of the CCP which then forces them to start an incremental transition into democracy and all the related cultural values. Ultimately this isn't really a problem for the world it is just an attempt to slow down the amount of information and reasonable criticisms that reach the ears of Chinese people. But I think it will prove futile because the the growth and spreading of information is like an unstoppable force.

China's currently in a recession like everyone else, if North Korea shows anything it takes more than economics to break down that type of hold.

[JohnBrown1917]

Countries as authortian as China have already been doing this for ages, be it Turkey or China itself.

[Monster Hunter]

The problem here what I'm concerned most about is not how me or you or any single person acts, but how companies will act. Like blizz. Will there be china style cencorship in games in future? They have to, if they want to do business in china.

Would break laws in nations with free speech or free expression laws, blizz cannot force chinese cencorship on non chinese citizens, legally.

[PC2]

China's currently in a recession like everyone else, if North Korea shows anything it takes more than economics to break down that type of hold.

Yes I'm aware but based on what I've seen it's not bad enough for the people to risk a potentially dangerous transition.

I don't think North Korea's system is sustainable either, not unless they have outside support.

[JohnBrown1917]

The problem here what I'm concerned most about is not how me or you or any single person acts, but how companies will act. Like blizz. Will there be china style cencorship in games in future? They have to, if they want to do business in china.

Having different versions of the game is nothing new, they are already doing that. How is this new?

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Would break laws in nations with free speech or free expression laws, blizz cannot force chinese cencorship on non chinese citizens, legally.

Blizz can do whatever it wants to its games, self-censorship is allowed.

[Monster Hunter]

Its strange, I entered this thread thinking the Huawei and tick tok ban's were gross over reactions.

After the vid I'm now thinking it might be better safe than sorry.

[JohnBrown1917]

Its strange, I entered this thread thinking the Huawei and tick tok ban's were gross over reactions.

After the vid I'm now thinking it might be better safe than sorry.

These 2 things do not relate to each other at all, or are you going to make one up?

[Monster Hunter]

Having different versions of the game is nothing new, they are already doing that. How is this new?

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Blizz can do whatever it wants to its games, self-censorship is allowed.

Depends, its legally not as cut and dry as either side would like to admit, certain speech is protected under law and is a right, most country's have laws that prevent both suppression of those rights or the ability to sign them away.

Blizzard could add a filter that specifically prevents me saying bad things about Boris Johnson in the game. But intern I could take them to court over it and likely win as my speech to criticize the government is protected.

[minteK917]

Would break laws in nations with free speech or free expression laws, blizz cannot force chinese cencorship on non chinese citizens, legally.

They can and they have. You are clearly someone that does not understand free speech law. Free speech is you not getting retribution from your own government from things you say within a certain limit. It does not apply to anyone else. Your employer is free to fire you, youtube is free to ban you and a publisher is free to not publish you. Therefore no free speech laws do jack shit from private company censorship from china. Infact its protected by our law that these private companies can do it.

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Blizzard could add a filter that specifically prevents me saying bad things about Boris Johnson in the game. But intern I could take them to court over it and likely win as my speech to criticize the government is protected.

No you would lose that case badly actually. You do not have a right to be published by private company and citizien or represent them. Free speech is only applicable when it comes to government insitutions, which is simply made so that you cannot be arrested for speaking. Blizzard is not the government they can ban you from their private game for looking at them funny. There is no such a thing as protected speech between private citizens.


If you walk to town square and yell the mayor is scum, you are free to do it. The town square is public, owned by the city, a public government body. If you walk into blizzard HQ and yell the mayor is scum, they can remove you from the building at any time. If you are in their server and type, the mayor is scum, they can ban you at any time. If you enter my house and yell the mayor is scum, i can get you to leave at anytime. If you are in the mayor private house and yell the mayor is scum, he can get you to leave at any time police included.

[Monster Hunter]

They can and they have. You are clearly someone that does not understand free speech law. Free speech is you not getting retribution from your own government from things you say within a certain limit. It does not apply to anyone else. Your employer is free to fire you, YouTube is free to ban you and a publisher is free to not publish you. Therefore, no free speech laws do jack shit from private company censorship from China. In fact, it protected by our law that these free company can do it.

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No you would lose that case badly actually. You do not have a right to be published by private company and citizen or represent them. Free speech is only applicable when it comes to government institutions, which is simply made so that you cannot be arrested for speaking. Blizzard is not the government they can ban you from their private game for looking at them funny. There is no such a thing as protected speech between private citizens.

Like I said it depends, it's not as black and white as a lot of you people seem to wish it was.

Some speech is protected, some isn't, a man in south England was found to have his right to free expression violated by the high court when he was punished for posting turf things on Twitter, but at the same time a black woman in Liverpool was sentenced for saying the N'word publicly online.

My company can only fire me from proscribed speech, it cannot legally fire me for criticizing the government, or the government's opposition. That speech is protected and would land them one big fat unfair dismissal suite.

The UK is not the US or anything like it. in the UK It is against the law for an employer to discriminate against you because of your religious or similar philosophical beliefs or political opinions. that is unless those political belifes fall under perscribed belifes, such as terrorism related or abolishonist and such.

[Saltysquidoon]

They can and they have. You are clearly someone that does not understand free speech law. Free speech is you not getting retribution from your own government from things you say within a certain limit. It does not apply to anyone else. Your employer is free to fire you, youtube is free to ban you and a publisher is free to not publish you. Therefore no free speech laws do jack shit from private company censorship from china. Infact its protected by our law that these private companies companies can do it.

You're broadly correct about the nature of free expression.

Specifically relating to the workplace (the US is excepted here because it's an oligarchical dystopia) whether or not the employer would be slapped with an unfair dismissal suit would depend on a few factors;
What was said (being a dickbag v quoting Mein Kampf)
How it was said (spoken v published)
Where it was said (in public v in the office)
When it was said (walking home from a Christmas party v during the workday)
Who it was said to (CEO to the nublie intern v two work buddies)

It's a nuanced issue.

[PACOX]

Countries as authortian as China have already been doing this for ages, be it Turkey or China itself.

Exactly. Israel does it, betting Russia does it, the USA definitely has the data to do it and can use it against people.

[minteK917]

You're broadly correct about the nature of free expression.

Specifically relating to the workplace (the US is excepted here because it's an oligarchical dystopia) whether or not the employer would be slapped with an unfair dismissal suit would depend on a few factors;
What was said (being a dickbag v quoting Mein Kampf)
How it was said (spoken v published)
Where it was said (in public v in the office)
When it was said (walking home from a Christmas party v during the workday)
Who it was said to (CEO to the nublie intern v two work buddies)

It's a nuanced issue.

Thats separate laws, its worker protection. Doesent apply to this topic either. Blizzard can absolutly censor all its game if it wanted and prevent all its employees to make anti china speech in public using its brand.

[Saltysquidoon]

Thats separate laws, its worker protection. Doesent apply to this topic either. Blizzard can absolutly censor all its game if it wanted and prevent all its employees to make anti china speech in public using its brand.

How is it a separate issue when you brought it up? Further, Blizzard has offices outside the US so at least in those locations, they couldn't necessarily act on anti-china speech policies without eating an unfair dismissal suit.

Also, I said I broadly agreed with you except for that one nuanced issue.