Communism never looked so good: China cracks down on pop-up ads

China has cracked down on big tech again, this time telling some of its biggest players to get rid of pop-up ads in apps. A Wednesday edict from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology points out that it strongly suggested that pop-ups should disappear way back in 2017, and has revisited the subject several times …

[Anonymous Coward]

China?

If a Western country cracked down on the megacorps like China has been doing, many people would applaud.

It won't happen because the West worries about the effects on investors while China does not.

Furthermore, Western governments fear the money that megacorps can use to change government policy and influence elections while the CCP doesn't need to worry about such things.

Some of China's actions, like the digital yuan, are nefarious. But many of their latest crackdowns on companies don't seem to fit that narrative.

It's unsettling.

[Throatwarbler Mangrove]

Re: China?

Some of what China is doing seems like a PR blitz. Other efforts seem like they're trying to learn from the lessons of the West and making sure that social media firms don't get too big for their britches. Some of it could be smokescreen, of course. I'm not saying China is right in what it's doing when it comes to tech companies, but I'm not saying it's wrong, either. And that's what happens when capitalism gets out of control . . . Communist autocracy starts to look appealing by comparison. It's an illusion, of course; Facebook may be a cancer on society, but it does not have an army or internment camps.

[thosrtanner]

Re: China?

capitalism does however have sweatshops, child labour, slavery, ...

I'm not a communist but I'm not a capitalist either. Because both, if left to their own devices, end up exploiting the masses for the benefit of the few while indulging in massive PR campaigns to make them seem acceptable.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: China?

@"I'm not a communist but I'm not a capitalist either" in any system that doesn't actively prevent it, the scum always raises to the top. Scum in this case being those who will do or say anything to get more power over others so they can promote and indulge in their own perversions.

Sad really that being a decent human being means that you don't want the responsibility for everyone else and hence why anything that gives privilege is infected with the indecent.

[codejunky]

Re: China?

@thosrtanner

"capitalism does however have sweatshops, child labour, slavery, ..."

As does socialism

[Anonymous Coward]

slavery

At least 1,000,000,000 Uyghurs.

[MCMLXV]

Re: slavery

At least 1,000,000,000 Uyghurs.

You sure about that?

[codejunky]

Re: China?

Are there really 5 people here who dont believe socialism has slavery, child labour and sweatshops? Or is it 5 bots?

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: China?

Down-voted for not understanding getting down-voting for using what-aboutery.

[codejunky]

Re: China?

@AC

"down-voting for using what-aboutery."

Except it really wasnt. It was a direct comparison to what was said in the comment I was replying to.

[taki2]

Re: China?

You are right about Capitalism exploiting for the benefit of the few.

Communism is still utopia, like real democracy (not pretending by the western world).

When people get mature for real Communism (from harmonious cooperative community), the exploitation should turn into colaboration.

Current individualism has no future, nor has Apple as individualistic exploiter.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: China?

"Other efforts seem like they're trying to learn from the lessons of the West and making sure that social media firms don't get too big for their britches."

The ability of Facebook & Twitter to take away Trump's megaphone has scared the S%&#$ out of dictatorships around the world. Their only recourse is to not allow non-government-controlled social media in their countries to become such a huge propaganda conduit to the dimwitted masses like they are in the US, EU, UK...

[katrinab]

Re: China?

I think you will find the US has a far larger prison population than China, and prison labor[sic] is a thing there.

[lostsomehwere]

Re: China?

I think you will find China declares that it has a much smaller prison population than the US.

It also tortures and abuses many, many more.

[codejunky]

Re: China?

@HildyJ

"If a Western country cracked down on the megacorps like China has been doing, many people would applaud."

That has always been the problem. Socialism in theory sounds lovely and people applaud (just look at the kids with no experience of the real world). Yet people want to live in the western capitalist/free market countries and people want to flee the socialist ones.

[Irongut]

Re: China?

Socialism in practice works great. Without it we would not be able to afford the meds my partner takes daily or the operations she's had to correct her medical issues, I would not have gone to university and would probably not have a job in IT.

Socialism is not communism and before you say it doesn't work you should look at the UK and Europe where socialism provides a fairer, more compassionate society than the temple of capitalism and rampant consumerism than the USA.

[codejunky]

Re: China?

@Irongut

"Socialism in practice works great."

In small scale yes, at government level not once.

"Without it we would not be able to afford the meds my partner takes daily or the operations she's had to correct her medical issues, I would not have gone to university and would probably not have a job in IT."

I am guessing your not in a socialist country then as they wouldnt be able to afford meds and the operations probably wouldnt happen in time. I do wonder how many people travel to socialist countries for education? I know they try to leave said countries to get a better life/education but does anyone go to a socialist country to get an education?

"Socialism is not communism"

True yet communism is socialism.

"and before you say it doesn't work you should look at the UK and Europe"

Erm what? Russia is in Europe and imposed its socialism on various countries of Europe. The UK isnt socialist as much as some people wish it was, although its government run institutions do seem a good warning against increased socialism. I recall one of the nordics correcting Bernie when he tried to call them socialist.

"than the temple of capitalism and rampant consumerism than the USA"

The US that people try to get to especially those fleeing socialists?

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: China?

The UK hasn't had a socialist Government since the 1970s. For 40 years, the Conservatives were in Government...

[taki2]

Re: China?

but they only survive by giving social(ist) benefits to the people. In transition to Socialism as the other advanced EU countries.

[Anonymous Coward]

Step 1: enact a law which sounds good but is wide enough that almost anyone could be caught breaking it

Step 2: enforce the law to parties adversarial to your political interests

Step 3: profit

[Anonymous Coward]

Damage done

Just need a world wide crack-down on China now after their damaging spree, when will the world wake up and penalise them ffs !