Does China’s digital police state have echoes in the West?
The state can gather more information, more easily, than ever before. Do not underestimate the risks
THEY’RE watching you. When you walk to work, CCTV cameras film you and, increasingly, recognise your face. Drive out of town, and number-plate-reading cameras capture your journey. The smartphone in your pocket leaves a constant digital trail. Browse the web in the privacy of your home, and your actions are logged and analysed. The resulting data can be crunched to create a minute-by-minute record of your life.
This article appeared in the Leaders section of the print edition under the headline “Perfected in China, a threat in the West”
From the June 2nd 2018 edition
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