By Published September 16, 2020Sometimes it seems like Beijing is working at odds with its tech giants.Much of TikTok’s last year has been characterized by efforts to show it’s keeping a safe distance from the Chinese Communist Party, despite being owned by Chinese social media firm ByteDance. The latest iteration of that is that will reportedly to house the short video app, with the US software giant taking a minority stake and managing user data. But an “opinion” issued by the Communist Party, , might make it hard for TikTok to argue it’s fine for it to continue to be largely owned by...…By Published September 16, 2020Sometimes it seems like Beijing is working at odds with its tech giants.Much of TikTok’s last year has been characterized by efforts to show it’s keeping a safe distance from the Chinese Communist Party, despite being owned by Chinese social media firm ByteDance. The latest iteration of that is that will reportedly to house the short video app, with the US software giant taking a minority stake and managing user data. But an “opinion” issued by the Communist Party, , might make it hard for TikTok to argue it’s fine for it to continue to be largely owned by...WW…

By Published March 20, 2020Apple yesterday removed , an app that allowed Chinese internet users to bypass censorship, from the China app store, according to its developer.Wang Huiyu, a New York-based Chinese citizen in his 20s, told Quartz that he developed Boom together with one of his university classmates during the outbreak of the coronavirus. Part of the motivation for Wang to develop the app, which went live on Feb. 15, was to offer people a chance to counter rigid online surveillance, and to provide them with an entertaining private messaging app.According to an email sent by Apple...…By Published March 20, 2020Apple yesterday removed , an app that allowed Chinese internet users to bypass censorship, from the China app store, according to its developer.Wang Huiyu, a New York-based Chinese citizen in his 20s, told Quartz that he developed Boom together with one of his university classmates during the outbreak of the coronavirus. Part of the motivation for Wang to develop the app, which went live on Feb. 15, was to offer people a chance to counter rigid online surveillance, and to provide them with an entertaining private messaging app.According to an email sent by Apple...WW…

By Published April 27, 2020This story has been updated with comment from volunteers behind a GitHub page.A group of volunteers in China who worked to prevent digital records of the coronavirus outbreak from being scrubbed by censors are now targets of a crackdown.Cai Wei, a Beijing-based man who participated in one such project on GitHub, the software development website, was arrested together with his girlfriend by Beijing police on April 19. The couple were accused of “,” a commonly used charge against dissidents in China, according to Chen Kun, the brother of Chen Mei, another volunteer...…By Published April 27, 2020This story has been updated with comment from volunteers behind a GitHub page.A group of volunteers in China who worked to prevent digital records of the coronavirus outbreak from being scrubbed by censors are now targets of a crackdown.Cai Wei, a Beijing-based man who participated in one such project on GitHub, the software development website, was arrested together with his girlfriend by Beijing police on April 19. The couple were accused of “,” a commonly used charge against dissidents in China, according to Chen Kun, the brother of Chen Mei, another volunteer...WW…

By Published May 23, 2020Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) has, since its founding in 1987, set out to be a global “committed corporate citizen” serving clients worldwide instead of focusing only on one region.It succeeded. The contract chip maker is today the world’s largest semiconductor foundry. But now TSMC has been drawn into the increasingly fierce tech feud between the United States and China.On May 14, TSMC announced a plan to build in Arizona. A day later, the US Department of Commerce unveiled that from September would bar global chip makers that use US equipment...…By Published May 23, 2020Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) has, since its founding in 1987, set out to be a global “committed corporate citizen” serving clients worldwide instead of focusing only on one region.It succeeded. The contract chip maker is today the world’s largest semiconductor foundry. But now TSMC has been drawn into the increasingly fierce tech feud between the United States and China.On May 14, TSMC announced a plan to build in Arizona. A day later, the US Department of Commerce unveiled that from September would bar global chip makers that use US equipment...WW…

By Published May 25, 2020A government app that used digital bar codes to control citizen movements at the peak of the coronavirus outbreak in China is likely to become a fixture in people’s daily lives.Hangzhou, a southern Chinese city home to tech giants like Alibaba, (May 23, link in Chinese) that it plans to “normalize” the use of the app, which was rolled out in February,  and turn it into a “‘firewall’ to enhance people’s health and immunity” after the pandemic recedes.Developed and social media giant Tencent, and soon made mandatory, the feature was added to Alipay, Ant’s digital...…By Published May 25, 2020A government app that used digital bar codes to control citizen movements at the peak of the coronavirus outbreak in China is likely to become a fixture in people’s daily lives.Hangzhou, a southern Chinese city home to tech giants like Alibaba, (May 23, link in Chinese) that it plans to “normalize” the use of the app, which was rolled out in February,  and turn it into a “‘firewall’ to enhance people’s health and immunity” after the pandemic recedes.Developed and social media giant Tencent, and soon made mandatory, the feature was added to Alipay, Ant’s digital...WW…

A government app that used digital bar codes to control citizen movements at the peak of the coronavirus outbreak in China is likely to become a fixture in people’s daily lives.Hangzhou, a southern Chinese city home to tech giants like Alibaba, (May 23, link in Chinese) that it plans to “normalize” the use of the app, which was rolled out in February,  and turn it into a “‘firewall’ to enhance people’s health and immunity” after the pandemic recedes.Developed and social media giant Tencent, and soon made mandatory, the feature was added to Alipay, Ant’s digital payment wallet, as well...…A government app that used digital bar codes to control citizen movements at the peak of the coronavirus outbreak in China is likely to become a fixture in people’s daily lives.Hangzhou, a southern Chinese city home to tech giants like Alibaba, (May 23, link in Chinese) that it plans to “normalize” the use of the app, which was rolled out in February,  and turn it into a “‘firewall’ to enhance people’s health and immunity” after the pandemic recedes.Developed and social media giant Tencent, and soon made mandatory, the feature was added to Alipay, Ant’s digital payment wallet, as well...WW…

By Published May 28, 2020TikTok is trying hard to shape its image as an international app. But a satirical meme that took off around April revolves around poking fun at the app’s Chinese roots—and at China itself. “praising” China and its president Xi Jinping have been posted on the app by users mainly in the US and Europe, set to the tune of the Chinese national anthem. With the Chinese national flag and an image of Xi in the background, the teens pretend to interact with the Chinese leader, giving him a kiss on the cheek or raising a toast together.Some of the users say that they’re...…By Published May 28, 2020TikTok is trying hard to shape its image as an international app. But a satirical meme that took off around April revolves around poking fun at the app’s Chinese roots—and at China itself. “praising” China and its president Xi Jinping have been posted on the app by users mainly in the US and Europe, set to the tune of the Chinese national anthem. With the Chinese national flag and an image of Xi in the background, the teens pretend to interact with the Chinese leader, giving him a kiss on the cheek or raising a toast together.Some of the users say that they’re...WW…