Google chairman Eric Schmidt has lambasted China's Internet policies in a book he's written. Schmidt labels the country "the world's most active and enthusiastic filterer of information", as well as the "most sophisticated and prolific" hacker of foreign companies, according to a review in the Wall Street Journal.
Due for release in April, The New Digital Age looks at what Schmidt sees as China's pernicious effect, using the Internet to carry out cyber espionage and protect the country's image. And with the Internet pervading every aspect of our lives now, that's really quite dangerous, Schmidt asserts.
"The disparity between American and Chinese firms and their tactics will put both the government and the companies of the United States at a distinct disadvantage," Schmidt says in the book. He writes that Washington "will not take the same path of digital corporate espionage, as its laws are much stricter (and better enforced) and because illicit competition violates the American sense of fair play."
That's quite some timing too, with Twitter being hacked this week, along with the Wall Street Journal (the very paper that reported on Schmidt's book) and New York Times. The Journal reported those hacking it were in China, and were trying to monitor what the paper said about the country, while the Times said Chinese hackers had "persistently" penetrated its systems over recent months.
China denies any wrongdoing.
Schmidt has words of warning for what lies ahead as well. If China goes unmonitored, things could get ugly, he reckons. With its "mix of active citizens armed with technological devices and tight government control", the country is "exceptionally volatile", and could cause "widespread instability" and even "some kind of revolution in the coming decades".
Which sounds ominous. Do you agree with Schmidt? Or is he pursuing his own agenda? Google was blocked in China for a few hours at the end of last year. Let me know what you reckon in the comments, or on Facebook.
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anonymous 3 February, 2013 11:18
I'm Chinese.Why am I here? first of all, I love mobile phone,I can know the latest news here.second,I consider there is "real things" on foreign website.for example,I can't believe there's only 9 people died in the bridge collapse event ,which happened several days before in China HeNan
we can't know the truth, we don't have Facebook or Twitter , we don't have human rights, we can't know the world.our website are filtered .SURE ,there must be "some kind of revolution in the coming decades."
I am sorry for the hacking things ,but I can do nothing.I am just a common boy in China.
anonymous 3 February, 2013 12:28
The only reason China is rich is because it has a lot of cheap labour and limited governmental control on industrial practise. Make it where it's cheap then sell it where it's expensive. But, that won't continue when the people start wondering where their slice is, if they're supposedly the richest country in the world.
anonymous 3 February, 2013 15:08
China is and has been a communist country for a long time. This is of no surprise because as they get bigger their influence does as well. Manufacturing has been big over there for a long time. 'Designed in California made in China' has been synonymous with Apple products for a long time. However as costs start to rise and labour demands more money (labour still is relatively cheap) and facilities are improved with money then we'll see people eventually move away from producing in China. It is very restrictive in many ways over there. Some good and some bad. Either way China will no doubt have a lot of questions to answer if hacking continues to originate from their country.
anonymous 3 February, 2013 15:09
People only think its really China because these hackers must have been given the proper equipment and the authority to go ahead. In a communist country like that you wouldn't think hacking would come so much from.
Damien2501 3 February, 2013 16:24
I'm not pro-Chinese government or a commie, but the US has committed cyber crimes itself too. Look at the Stuxnet attack and I'm sure there are many others, but they are probably much better at covering their tracks and their crimes don't receive coverage from the mainstream media.
anonymous 3 February, 2013 20:57
Th e US are communists too, they control and keep.their subjects in fear they other means ...media ..etc. They are secular and make people think that they have a choice.
anonymous 3 February, 2013 21:01
Google were started by the US gov, just search "Webster Tarpley google" on YouTube. Its all there, this explains googles success. just another gov agency.
anonymous 4 February, 2013 16:14
I'll wait for James Fallows to review Schmidt's book. Fallows knows China. Schmidt?
Ravens Watch 7 February, 2013 02:09
Most people are unaware that a war between China and the West is being fought on multilevel's that include the Internet. This war is heating up and events between China and Vietnam, China and Japan, China and South Korea, China and the Philippines, China and the United States will heat up.
We are seeing saber rattling when China activates its targeting radar on Japaneses patrol ships in disputed waters. This saber rattling is serious and will escalate. Natural resources, fishing rights, Oil & Natural Gas including shipping lanes... China is flexing its muscle and power.
Google: The Ravens Project - Ravens Watch
You would be surprised at the information being gathered!