back to article Schmidt: Social networks will FREE THE PEOPLE of China

China's thirst for social networks will help the country's citizens smash through its rigid state control, Google executive chairman Eric Schmidt has claimed. He said during a conference in London on Monday that popular sites such as Weibo and WeChat would help to liberalise the People's Republic. Schmidt spoke of a meeting …

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  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Anyone got a spare Irony meter?

    Mine exploded.

    1. Suricou Raven

      Re: Anyone got a spare Irony meter?

      Not really. I think he views 'free speech' and 'privacy' as entirely unrelated concepts. That means that while Google may be attacking privacy, they can still be promoting free speech.

      1. Grave

        Re: Anyone got a spare Irony meter?

        right, because being slaves of social networking system is such a win.

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Can't imprison enough people?

    History seems to differ with Schmidt, that totalitarian regimes can indeed imprison (intimidate, beat up, or murder) enough people to keep the proles in order.

    Perhaps Serco and G4S could try and monetise opression by offering Opression As A Service (OaaS), which they could represent to shareholoders as international growth markets? Google could muscle in by allowing their all seeing eye systems to either notify the authorities of potential future trouble makers (Minority Report style), or simply flash scary state advertising at any freedom seeking troublemakers.

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    What is it with yanks and their desire to "liberate" other nations?

    They should look to the betternent of their own people before on casting their ideals on others.

    1. FSM

      Why would India rather spend billions on a space agency and loads of other things that they don't need rather than help their people?

      Nations are hypocrites it seems.

    2. Nehmo

      Actually, I'm a Yank. I was hoping somebody would liberate *me*.

  4. Amorous Cowherder
    Facepalm

    Schmitt has never heard of "divide and conquer" then!

    You don't need lock everyone up to make them fear you, you simply pick off a few key people or simply make a small number of husbands or main wage earners disappear on dark, stormy nights. A ruler's real power comes from instilling fear in the populace.

  5. Tom 38

    Schmidt should talk to Patten

    In order to save himself some trouble, Patten can fill him in quite succinctly on how the leaders of the Middle Kingdom like gwai lo barbarians telling them how to run their country.

  6. i like crisps
    Big Brother

    Position for 'food taster' has just opened up...

    Del Boy had better be careful as he might end up tucking in to

    a Polonium Butty.........go on..........eat it..........it won't hurt you.

  7. Steve Davies 3 Silver badge
    FAIL

    What a load of old cock

    What this really means is the Google want more uses of social media so that they can satisfy their insatiable appetite for persona information and advertising cannon fodder.

  8. Chris G

    Arse

    How can a guy in a position in commerce that is high enough to have him talking to world leaders be such a naive arse?

    If Schmidtt takes a look at China's history since WW II it should be clear to him that terrorising the population with a re-introduction of the Red Guard and a few well placed disappearances and executions will be enough to start cowing the population.

    There is a great deal of terror and horror in China's recent history that makes it clear that such things are likely not too far under the current surface, imprisoning people is expensive and inefficient for controlling a population, killing them either 'legally' via execution or with the fervour of fanatics like the Red Guard works better than prison as does simply taking them to the other end of the country to a work camp and denying them any contact with their families.

    These are thing China has done well in the past and could easily again.

    He can dream about social networking and using that data as a commodity in China but holding his breath while waiting for it to happen may not be a good thing as it may never happen in his lifetime.

    1. Nicole D.

      Re: Arse

      "These are thing China has done well in the past and could easily again."

      And can do even more efficiently in a socially networked environment.

      Schmidt's problem is that he believes his own dog food.

  9. Frumious Bandersnatch

    Hooray for social networks!

    Unicorns and pixie dust for everyone!

  10. Mitoo Bobsworth
    Facepalm

    Schmidt buys his own shit.

    Time for that psych. evaluation.

  11. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    The name Eric Schmidt and the words freedom should not be on the same page, let alone in the same sentence. The man is perfectly despicable.

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