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Re:Ask HN: What Apple alternatives are you switching to? by system16 on Wednesday August 18, 2021 @11:34AM (#28222682)
I think it's less about privacy and more about what the invading actor will/can actually do. People are less concerned about the Chinese government's reach vs. the NSA or other three letter agencies in the US. I suppose if you are important enough to the Chinese government whatever they have on you could be used as blackmail, but most 'regular' people don't fall into that category.
Re:Ask HN: What Apple alternatives are you switching to? by jon-wood on Wednesday August 18, 2021 @12:53PM (#28223913)
If one of the US TLAs has decided to target you you’re fucked. No amount of switching phones and OS is going to help you, short of completely disconnecting from the internet and not using any sort of financial infrastructure.
Re:Ask HN: What Apple alternatives are you switching to? by greyhair on Wednesday August 18, 2021 @02:37PM (#28225379)
Likewise, if the criminal underworld has decided to target you, you are equally fucked.
Re:Ask HN: What Apple alternatives are you switching to? by imwillofficial on Wednesday August 18, 2021 @11:36AM (#28222715)
> People are less concerned about the Chinese government's reach vs. the NSA

Wait what? You’re 180 degrees wrong.

Re:Ask HN: What Apple alternatives are you switching to? by macksd on Wednesday August 18, 2021 @11:42AM (#28222849)
Of the two, which government do I think is more evil? China's. Which government do I, a permanent resident of America, think could more immediately make my life harder by being able to invade my privacy? America's.
Re:Ask HN: What Apple alternatives are you switching to? by ChemSpider on Wednesday August 18, 2021 @12:04PM (#28223207)
Well, as somebody who has travel to China for business, I would not touch any Chinese hardware or OS at all. In the US and EU you have a working legal system.
Re:Ask HN: What Apple alternatives are you switching to? by croutonwagon on Wednesday August 18, 2021 @12:21PM (#28223469)
Thats moving the goalposts a bit though. The question wasnt in the context of those that go to, travel through or deal with Chinese government on the regular.

But rather in the context of those in America that largely only deal with American government officials and those outcomes.

And to my knowledge. China isnt abducting people or conduction renditions on american soil.

Re:Ask HN: What Apple alternatives are you switching to? by macksd on Wednesday August 18, 2021 @01:09PM (#28224203)
As I said, I am not such a person. Most of the English-speaking world consists of the same.

As I said - I agree that China's government is worse. In fact my previous employer had a policy that company devices just didn't cross that border, even when traveling for work. But it's still not a factor in which devices I purchase myself.

Re:Ask HN: What Apple alternatives are you switching to? by imwillofficial on Wednesday August 18, 2021 @03:10PM (#28225804)
> Of the two, which government do I think is more evil?

But that's not what the original comment said.

Re:Ask HN: What Apple alternatives are you switching to? by macksd on Wednesday August 18, 2021 @03:51PM (#28226255)
I didn't say they said that. It's also not my whole comment. Not sure what you're getting at.
Re:Ask HN: What Apple alternatives are you switching to? by dmantis on Wednesday August 18, 2021 @11:41AM (#28222814)
He is right. US has complete power over people on their soil and basically in Europe and Asia as well. They do a LOT of extraditions of other countries citizens when they go traveling or to business trips from their citizenship countries.

China, on the other hand, does not seem to give a single f* about foreigners, only about their own citizens. Most people are not so are not really endangered even if chinese spyers do know what they handle on their phones. So in battle between US spyers/China spyers I'd better give my data to Chinese, if I don't have a choice not to share my data at all.

China, as well, don't try to make extraterritorial laws (like financial regulations), so it's harder to even be targeted by CCP if your are a foreigner.

Re:Ask HN: What Apple alternatives are you switching to? by ChemSpider on Wednesday August 18, 2021 @12:10PM (#28223294)
You should talk to this Swedish guy. He was captured in Thailand(!) by Chinese agents:

https://www.dw.com/en/china-sentences-swedish-publisher-to-1...

Re:Ask HN: What Apple alternatives are you switching to? by isoskeles on Wednesday August 18, 2021 @12:31PM (#28223601)
I do feel bad for the man, but he's not just a "Swedish guy."
Re:Ask HN: What Apple alternatives are you switching to? by dpratt on Wednesday August 18, 2021 @11:43AM (#28222869)
I think the point is that the average person who resides in the US is more concerned with Orwellian overreach from the NSA than the CCP surveillance apparatus.

The Chinese secret police don’t present a threat to me, whereas the NSA has the means, motive (at the leadership level) and opportunity to violate my natural rights.

Re:Ask HN: What Apple alternatives are you switching to? by garmaine on Wednesday August 18, 2021 @12:07PM (#28223253)
Depends on the person. Those of us with ties to lands within Chinese sphere of influence are rightly more cautious. Others just don’t care.