In a statement, Access Now says it was “told that diplomats from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) were putting pressure on the Government of Zambia because Taiwanese civil society participants were planning to join us in person.”

  • wheezy@lemmy.ml
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    6 hours ago

    At some point we’ll be talking about the US military actions to “protect Taiwan”. I just want you to remember this comment when that happens.

    Like, whatever you think about China, it really doesn’t matter. These stories are only here to serve as a means to manufacture consent for US actions in the future.

    It’s for more war. Just like Iran. Just keep that in mind as we push further into the next world war. No one writing articles like this cares about the “digital rights conference” and you don’t either.

    If you cared about “digital rights” or any “rights” you’d be refusing to go to work until the genocidal pedophiles in your own government were brought to justice. You don’t care.

      • m532@lemmy.ml
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        4 hours ago

        Got owned

        Looks at instance

        .ml

        Yeah checks out

        • gtrcoi@programming.dev
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          4 hours ago

          I sure hope you were paid to read that, because why else would you waste your time following a 700 page bill that hasn’t been passed yet? At a glance it isn’t about astroturfing, it’s about sanctioning and charging melign actors as criminals, plus a whole ton of stuff from monetary policy to IP protections. It’s basically outlining the entire geopolitical strategy towards China, which is probably why it’s spent over a year being bounced around 20 different subcommittees.

          Idk where you got that price tag seeing as the link you provided contains no budgeting information, but you should ask your handler if that figure is for the entire bill, or for an “influence campaign” specifically. While you wait to hear back from them for that talking point, would you mind showing me where in the bill this influence campaign is outlined?

    • gtrcoi@programming.dev
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      4 hours ago

      Caring about stuff isn’t a binary, it doesn’t hinge on whatever insane purity test you think it does.

    • TotallynotJessica@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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      3 hours ago

      They’re definitely gearing up for major anti-China action, but I doubt Trump or the oligarchs are that keen to fight a war they’ll lose even worse than the war with Iran. After that disaster, many of the US’s potential allies in a war over Taiwan will not be keen on sticking their neck out. Without their support, the US has little chance at stopping China. It’d be much more convenient for them if Taiwan surrenders to China and they can virtue signal about authoritarianism. They might even get the computer parts on backorder for a few years.

      The only reason the US would go to war with China is if Trump really is that stupid. In that case, nobody but his cult will really be happy with the outcome.

    • perestroika@slrpnk.net
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      3 hours ago

      These stories are only here to serve as a means to manufacture consent for US actions in the future.

      These stories are here to remind that there is an elephant in the room. Fortunately it’s only breathing loudly at the moment.

      China has territorial ambitions regarding several neighbours (sea areas) and serious ambitions about Taiwan (taking it over) and unless the international community can help Taiwan and other countries achieve a peaceful co-existence with China (and this means backing them)…

      (note: air raid simulations with 100+ aircraft testing Taiwan’s responses or naval blockade simulations with tens of warships around the island are not peaceful coexistence, and China has been running such exercises)

      …then we better start learning how to make microchips in every country and obviously pay for that. Because if war happens, Taiwan will be in ruins and China under a boycott, possibly with a few strategic locations also in ruins - and the rest of the world in a severe economic crisis due to lack of microchips. There is also nonzero risk of China attempting to conquer Taiwan escalating to a bigger war between coalitions of countries, with all the possible consequences.

      If someone is bullying someone else, the wider community wold be wise to intervene early and dissuade agression.

      So yes, what we are seeing is a prelude, which will likely lead, if not dissuaded, to agression against Taiwan at some day in future. What the rest of the world thinks about on that day, is not yet determined. The US and Japan and South Korea have previously made fairly clear what they will think, but recently the US is running headless.