this post was submitted on 25 Apr 2026
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[–] wheezy@lemmy.ml 31 points 5 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

Paying for everything with Visa/MasterCard is better? I feel like a lot of people's issues with "privacy" around China are correct. But for some reason are ok with the same exact things in the US/West.

In the West we share literally all of the privacy concerns you mentioned above but instead of them being clearly outlined and regulated by our government; they are instead entirely controlled by private companies that use and sell the information for profit.

I guess it's the illusion of privacy, or really the abstraction of it being violated, that makes people in the west feel like China is somehow doing something different. They aren't, they are just upfront about their tracking and data collection.

In China they have CCTV. In the US we have Ring. Like, people literally put Ring cameras INSIDE there house willingly. It blows my mind. And the idea that in the US that it's "decentralized" or "not available to the government" is a lie.

I guess my point is. You're not wrong about the payment processing or the privacy concerns in China. But, you live with the same exact thing in the west every single day. Arguably worse because your data is being controlled by a CEO for profit and they're selling that to anyone and everyone. On top of being given to your government.

Edit: I did agree with the concerns of the original comment over privacy in China. So, id really appreciate a response comment rather than a downvote only. My comment is meant to criticize the US/West (the system most people reading this live under). I wasn't trying to justify China. I am a huge fan of China and it's progress in many ways. At least in terms of learning from their success. But one major criticism I have of them is their level of surveillance and, what I see as now unnecessary, levels of control on speech related to government criticism. So, id ordinarily be a "look at their high speed rail" Andy on this topic. I am very critical of China when it comes to this specific issue; and see it as a major weakness for them that they need to address. But, since I live in the west. I want to make people aware that this issue also exists here. I am more critical of my own country because I live under it. And being distracted by China's problems instead of our own is a major failure.