MCLC: US is behaving like China

[Denton, Kirk]

MCLC LIST
From: Rebecca Karl <rek2 at nyu.edu>
Subject: US is behaving like China
***********************************************************

This was written by Ai Weiwei and posted somewhere on line (I can't find
out where, as I'm in Shanghai and VPN notwithstanding, there isn't a way
to search for this).  I thought it would be of interest to MCLC folks (who
may be able to find the posting and send that on).

Rebecca Karl

I found it on The Guardian site.

Kirk 

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Source: The Guardian (6/11/13):
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/jun/11/nsa-surveillance-us-beh
aving-like-china

NSA surveillance: The US is behaving like China

Both governments think they are doing what is best for the state and
people. But, as I know, such abuse of power can ruin lives

All kinds of things I was shocked by the information about the US
surveillance operation, Prism
<http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/10/obama-pressured-explain-nsa-su
rveillance>. To me, it's abusively using government powers to interfere in
individuals' privacy. This is an important moment for international
society to reconsider and protect individual rights.

 
I lived in the United States for 12 years. This abuse of state power goes
totally against my understanding of what it means to be a civilised
society, and it will be shocking for me if American citizens allow this to
continue. The US has a great tradition of individualism and privacy and
has long been a centre for free thinking and creativity as a result.

In our experience in China, basically there is no privacy at all – that is
why China is far behind the world in important respects: even though it
has become so rich, it trails behind in terms of passion, imagination and
creativity.

 
Of course, we live under different kinds of legal conditions – in the west
and in developed nations there are other laws that can balance or restrain
the use of information if the government has it. That is not the case in
China, and individuals are completely naked as a result. Intrusions can
completely ruin a person's life, and I don't think that could happen in
western nations.

 
But still, if we talk about abusive interference in individuals' rights,
Prism does the same. It puts individuals in a very vulnerable position.
Privacy is a basic human right, one of the very core values. There is no
guarantee that China, the US or any other government will not use the
information falsely or wrongly. I think especially that a nation like the
US, which is technically advanced, should not take advantage of its power.
It encourages other nations.

 
Before the information age the Chinese government could decide you were a
counter-revolutionary just because a neighbour reported something they had
overheard. Thousands, even millions of lives were ruined through the
misuse of such information.

 
Today, through its technical abilities, the state can easily get into
anybody's bank account, private mail, conversations, and social media
accounts. The internet and social media give us new possibilities of
exploring ourselves.

 
But we have never exposed ourselves in this way before, and it makes us
vulnerable if anyone chooses to use it against us. Any information or
communication could put young people under the surveillance of the state.
Very often, when oppressive states arrest people, they have that
information in their hands. It can be used as a way of controlling you, to
tell you: we know exactly what you're thinking or doing. It can drive
people to madness.

When human beings are scared and feel everything is exposed to the
government, we will censor ourselves from free thinking. That's dangerous
for human development.
 
In the Soviet Union before, in China today, and even in the US, officials
always think what they do is necessary, and firmly believe they do what is
best for the state and the people. But the lesson that people should learn
from history is the need to limit state power.

 
If a government is elected by the people, and is genuinely working for the
people, they should not give in to these temptations.

During my detention
<http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-14487328> in China I was
watched 24 hours a day. The light was always on. There were two guards on
two-hour shifts standing next to me – even watching when I swallowed a
pill; I had to open mouth so they could see my throat. You have to take a
shower in front of them; they watch you while you brush your teeth, in the
name of making sure you're not hurting yourself. They had three
surveillance cameras to make sure the guards would not communicate with me.

 
But the guards whispered to me. They told stories about themselves. There
is always humanity and privacy, even under the most restrictive conditions.
 
To limit power is to protect society. It is not only about protecting
individuals' rights but making power healthier.

Civilisation is built on that trust and everyone must fight to defend it,
and to protect our vulnerable aspects – our inner feelings, our families.
We must not hand over our rights to other people. No state power should be
given that kind of trust. Not China. Not the US.