World Politics Thread

[Sharpshooter]

Discuss all global political issues here. 

[gerg]

globally soaking, is it flat?

[Canuck Surfer]

Serb politicians are again glorifying those that committed war crimes, denying / denial of acknowledging genocide occurred in Srebrenica . Is it a precursor of return to violence?

 

 

[Playoff Beered]

Resist Russian disinformation as elections loom, EU tells Big Tech

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/resist-russian-disinformation-elections-loom-eu-tells-big-tech-2023-09-26/

[Playoff Beered]

Polish opposition set to win election, according to exit poll

https://kyivindependent.com/exit-poll-polands-ruling-party-wins-parliamentary-elections-but-loses-majority-to-liberal-opposition/

 

 

Edited October 16, 2023 by Playoff Beered

[UnkNuk]

Better late than never, I suppose:

 

CIA publicly acknowledges 1953 coup it backed in Iran was undemocratic

 

While revealing new details about one of the most famed CIA operations of all times — the spiriting out of six American diplomats who escaped the 1979 U.S. Embassy seizure in Iran — the intelligence agency for the first time has acknowledged something else as well.

 

The CIA now officially describes the 1953 coup it backed in Iran that overthrew its prime minister and cemented the rule of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi as undemocratic.

 

https://apnews.com/article/iran-1953-coup-cia-218323db3cc1aca6bde1e54827527e8d?utm_source=join1440&utm_medium=email&utm_placement=newsletter

 

[Ryan Strome]

4 hours ago, Playoff Beered said:

Polish opposition set to win election, according to exit poll

https://kyivindependent.com/exit-poll-polands-ruling-party-wins-parliamentary-elections-but-loses-majority-to-liberal-opposition/

 

 

So the Polish prime minister is out? He made some big commitments to military spending. I'm going to have to do a little homework and see if the opposition party there is in support of keeping up that military spending commitment or scaling it back.

Edited October 16, 2023 by Ryan Strome

[the destroyer of worlds]

So, the deal has conditions.  Some, not all of the sanctions will be lifted.  Will require more open (internationally monitored) elections next year.  This is all good news, at it should help the Venezuelan economy, thus removing pressure caused by Venezuelan migrants trying to leave the country whose economy is in the dumpster. 

 

 

https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/us-easing-venezuela-oil-sanctions-response-election-deal-official-2023-10-18/

US broadly eases Venezuela oil sanctions after election deal

[Ilunga]

On 10/16/2023 at 3:14 PM, UnkNuk said:

Better late than never, I suppose:

 

CIA publicly acknowledges 1953 coup it backed in Iran was undemocratic

 

While revealing new details about one of the most famed CIA operations of all times — the spiriting out of six American diplomats who escaped the 1979 U.S. Embassy seizure in Iran — the intelligence agency for the first time has acknowledged something else as well.

 

The CIA now officially describes the 1953 coup it backed in Iran that overthrew its prime minister and cemented the rule of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi as undemocratic.

 

https://apnews.com/article/iran-1953-coup-cia-218323db3cc1aca6bde1e54827527e8d?utm_source=join1440&utm_medium=email&utm_placement=newsletter

 

 

I have brought up Mohammad Mosaddegh on both this board and the old one a few times. 

 

Democratically elected leader of Iran whose administration initiated social security, land reforms, nationalising the oil industry, which was why the yanks and Brits were pissed. 

Gotta wonder where the people of Iran would be now if he had remained in power.

 

[Sharpshooter]

 

[6of1_halfdozenofother]

Quote

As Europe's armies brace for war, allies call on Canada and others to catch up

Russia's rearmament plans have rattled European capitals — is Canada paying attention?

Murray Brewster · CBC News · Posted: Jan 30, 2024 1:00 AM PST | Last Updated: 5 hours ago

A poster with an image of Russian President Vladimir Putin on the wall of the Narva Castle opposite the Russian border in Narva, Estonia on Tuesday, May 9, 2023. (Associated Press)

 

In Estonia, they're talking about building more public bomb shelters and making them mandatory in all newly constructed homes.

 

In neighbouring Latvia, the government is going through the second draft of mandatory military service legislation. Next door in Lithuania, there's talk of universal conscription.

 

"I understand that when we speak from the Baltic perspective, it might sound somewhat dramatic and shocking," Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen, the speaker of the Seimas, Lithuania's legislature, told CBC News Monday in Ottawa.

 

"It is obvious that today, democracy itself, democratic countries, democracies all around the world are under pressure from Russia and its autocratic allies."

 

Since the beginning of 2024, security warnings in Europe about Russia's future intentions have been landing fast and furious.

 

And they've come in different forms and from different officials — many of whom are known best for their discretion and lack of hysteria.

 

These warnings are being driven in part by Russia's stated plans to put defence and munitions production on a war footing — something western nations, and Canada in particular, have struggled to accomplish in their efforts to bolster Ukraine's defence against Russia's invasion.

 

Many observers wonder whether the security warnings are even being heard by Ukraine's allies, especially Canada and the United States.

 

Two weeks ago in Sweden, a political debate erupted after the country's two top defence officials warned that war could be on the horizon. Sweden's Civil Defence Minister Carl-Oskar Bohlin and its military commander-in-chief Gen. Micael Byden said people should prepare mentally for the possibility — and begin stocking up on supplies.

A land war in Western Europe?

The head of the British Army, Gen. Sir Patrick Sanders, said in a recent speech that the United Kingdom should train a "citizen army" and be ready to fight a war on land in the future.

 

Three parliamentary speakers from the Baltic nations of Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania are the latest to deliver fresh warnings about how prepared western nations are for the prospect of an even bigger conflict in Europe. 

 

They visited Ottawa on Monday and met with senior government officials before heading to Washington for more meetings.

 

Lauri Hussar (left), speaker of the Estonian legislature; Daiga Mierina, speaker of the Latvian parliament and Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen (right), speaker of the Lithuanian legislature visited Ottawa on Monday, Jan. 29, 2024 to meet with senior Canadian government officials. (CBC News)

 

Daiga Mierina, the speaker of Latvia's legislature, said that because Baltic nations were occupied by the Soviet Union, they have a decidedly more visceral approach to the threat posed by the Kremlin and can "very clearly see what we can expect from Russia.

 

"We understand Russia differently."

 

The speaker of Estonia's legislature said building up public resilience in western nations starts with understanding that an information war is already underway.

 

"This is really important in a moment because it's full-scale war and [that's what] underlies the online attacks in social media and elsewhere," said Lauri Hussar.

 

Whether these warnings are registering in western countries is debatable. Opposition politicians in Sweden described the warning from the defence chief as alarmist.

 

Former Swedish prime minister Magdalena Andersson told Swedish TV that while the world's security situation is serious, "it is not as if war is just outside the door."

 

Since many defence experts say the professional Russian Army that started the war in Ukraine has been virtually destroyed, there's a kernel of truth to Andersson's argument.

 

Russia's President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with service members involved in Russia's war on Ukraine at the Novo-Ogaryovo state residence outside Moscow, on January 1, 2024. (Kristina Kormilitsyna/Reuters)

 

But Moscow has an ambitious rebuilding plan. Russia's military spending in 2024 will increase to 7.1 per cent of its gross domestic product (GDP) and will account for 35 per cent of total government spending, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.

 

What's needed in the West, in addition to ramped-up production, is a shift in mindset, said Dutch Admiral Rob Bauer, chair of NATO's Military Council.

 

"I think a nation needs to understand that when it comes to a war, as we see in Ukraine, it is a whole-of-society event," Bauer said recently following a meeting of NATO chiefs of defence staff.

 

Ukrainian women assemble military drones at the drone manufacturer Atlas Aerospace in the capital Riga, Latvia, Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2023. (Sergei Grits/AP)

 

The West, he said, has for decades been labouring under the belief that "the professional military ... would solve these security issues that we had in Afghanistan in Iraq."

 

That approach isn't good enough any longer, he said.

 

"You will need more people from society to sustain the military in terms of people," he said. "You need the industry to have enough ammunition to produce new tanks, new ships, new aircraft, new artillery pieces. All that is part of this discussion of a whole-of-society event.

 

"I think more people need to understand it's not just something of the armed forces and money. We need to be readier across the whole spectrum."

 

When asked about the recent comments in Sweden during an interview with CBC News last week, Defence Minister Bill Blair said the rising alarm in Europe is totally understandable, given the proximity to the threat.

 

He insisted Canadians understand that their way of life, and the rules under which western nations have operated for decades, are at stake.

 

WATCH | Why Russia's 2024 election actually matters: 

 

Why Russia's 2024 election actually matters

 

2 months ago

Duration13:23

Vladimir Putin is officially in the running for his fifth term in office ahead of next spring's Russian elections, solidifying his hold on power until at least 2030. In a race where the winner is almost guaranteed, Putin will be re-elected in March — but what could he lose in the process? CORRECTION (Dec. 14, 2023): A previous version of this video incorrectly stated at 3:56 that Dmitry Medvedev is Russia's current prime minister. In fact, he held that role until 2020. The video has been edited to remove this part.

 

 

"We've always been a country that stood up [for] those rules and those principles and we're going to continue to do so," Blair said.

 

But do Canadian leaders truly share that sense of urgency felt across much of Europe? 

 

Last fall, a House of Commons committee heard about a critical shortage of artillery ammunition, notably the NATO standard 155 millimetre shells. Unlike its allies, Canada has not signed an agreement with munition-makers to radically boost production.

 

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/nato-russia-ukraine-baltics-1.7098660

[the destroyer of worlds]

 

 

 

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/king-charles-cancer-1.7105266

 

King Charles diagnosed with cancer, Buckingham Palace says

Palace says it's not related to his recent treatment for a benign prostate condition

[UnkNuk]

Transparency International has released its 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index.  The lower the ranking the better.  Number 1 on the list is Denmark.  Last on the list at Number 180  is Somalia.  Canada came in at Number 12.

 

https://www.transparency.org/en/cpi/2023

 

 

[the destroyer of worlds]

Good on the Greeks.  

 

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-68310126

 

Greece legalises same-sex marriage

 

 

Greece has become the first Christian Orthodox-majority country to legalise same-sex marriage

 

 

 

[6of1_halfdozenofother]

This post could literally go into any number of threads here in OT, but because of its global nature, I'm putting it here.

 

An article from The Conversation - one of the longest I've encountered from that site, and I found it to be an interesting and engaging read.  I can't post the whole article here, so please consider taking a moment to visit the URL below:
https://theconversation.com/historys-crisis-detectives-how-were-using-maths-and-data-to-reveal-why-societies-collapse-and-clues-about-the-future-218969

 

Excerpts:

 

Quote

One of the most common patterns that has jumped out is how extreme inequality shows up in nearly every case of major crisis. When big gaps exist between the haves and have-nots, not just in material wealth but also access to positions of power, this breeds frustration, dissent and turmoil.

 

“Ages of discord”, as Turchin dubbed periods of great social unrest and violence, produce some of history’s most devastating events. This includes the US civil war of the 1860s, the early 20th-century Russian Revolution, and the Taiping rebellion against the Chinese Qing dynasty, often said to be the deadliest civil war in history.

 

All of these cases saw people become frustrated at extreme wealth inequality, along with lack of inclusion in the political process. Frustration bred anger, and eventually erupted into fighting that killed millions and affected many more.

 

Quote

Our age of polycrisis

There is no doubt that we’re facing certain novel challenges today that people in the past did not. Not just in terms of the frequency and scale of ecological disasters, but also in the way that so many of our systems (global production, food and mineral supply chains, economic systems, the international political order) are more hopelessly entangled than they ever have been.

 

A shock to one of these systems almost inevitably reverberates into the others. The war in Ukraine, for example, has affected global food supply chains and the price of gas across the world.

 

Researchers at the Cascade Institute, some of the leading authorities working to understand and track our current polycrisis, present a truly terrifying (and not exahuastive) list of crises the world is facing today, including:

• the lingering health, social, and economic effects of COVID-19
• stagflation (a persistent combination of inflation and low growth)
• volatility in global food and energy markets
• geopolitical conflict
• political instability and civil unrest arising from economic insecurity
• ideological extremism
• political polarisation
• declining institutional legitimacy
• increasingly frequent and devastating weather events generated by climate heating

Each of these on its own would wreak significant devastation, but they all interact, each one propelling the others and offering no signs of relief.

 

Quote

If the past teaches us anything, it is that trying to hold on to systems and policies that refuse to appropriately adapt and respond to changing circumstances — like climate change or growing unrest among a population – usually end in disaster. Those with the means and opportunity to enact change must do so, or at least to not stand in the way when reform is needed.

Volunteers rebuilding a school in Trishuli, Nepal, that was destroyed by the earthquake in 2016. Shutterstock/Mihai Speteanu

This last lesson is a particularly hard one to learn. Unfortunately, there are many signs around the world today that the mistakes of the past are being repeated, especially by our political leaders and those aspiring to hold power.

 

[Gnarcore]

On 2/15/2024 at 7:20 PM, the destroyer of worlds said:

Good on the Greeks.  

 

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-68310126

 

Greece legalises same-sex marriage

 

 

Greece has become the first Christian Orthodox-majority country to legalise same-sex marriage

 

 

 

Considering they're known for greased up naked dudes wrestling it is about time! Not that there is anything wrong with that! 

[Bob Long]

9 minutes ago, Gnarcore said:

Considering they're known for greased up naked dudes wrestling it is about time! Not that there is anything wrong with that! 

 

first democracy, and now this? 

[bishopshodan]

40 minutes ago, Gnarcore said:

Considering they're known for greased up naked dudes wrestling it is about time! Not that there is anything wrong with that! 

'Greek style'

[6of1_halfdozenofother]

The article at the URL below raises an interesting argument for why sanctions generally don't work, and specifically why they don't seem to work against puta and his hairy henchmen.

 

https://theconversation.com/vladimir-putins-gold-strategy-explains-why-sanctions-against-russia-have-failed-225748

 

Excerpts:

 

Quote

Since 2013, Russia has been preparing for western sanctions and managed to isolate its economy from transactions requiring American dollars.

 

In early 2022, Russia pegged its currency, the ruble, to gold, and 5,000 rubles will now buy an ounce of pure gold. The plan was to shift the currency away from a pegged value and into the gold standard itself so the ruble would become a credible gold substitute at a fixed rate.

 

and

 

Quote

To thwart Putin’s plan, the lustre needs to be removed from gold. Increasing gold supply could lower the price. Australia, Canada and the U.S. have important roles to play as leading gold producers.

 

Rising interest rates also tend to lower gold prices. A mass sell-off of government holdings in gold could also cause a tailspin for the ruble, but likely for the U.S. and Canadian dollars as well.

 

No single policy can thwart Putin’s goals — it requires disrupting the supply of gold beyond Russia, and that might well mean involving the U.A.E.

 

[6of1_halfdozenofother]

A good piece in The Walrus about Hong Kongers and Hong Konger identity.

https://thewalrus.ca/hong-konger/

[6of1_halfdozenofother]

Meanwhile, in Singapore...

 

Quote

Singapore PM Lee to hand power to successor Wong on May 15

By Xinghui Kok

April 15, 20242:42 AM PDTUpdated 7 hours ago

Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong speaks during a joint press conference with Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (not pictured) at the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit, in Melbourne, Australia March 5, 2024. REUTERS/Jaimi Joy/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab

SINGAPORE, April 15 (Reuters) - Long-time Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced on Monday he would hand over power to his designated successor, Lawrence Wong, on May 15, ahead of an election that must be by held next year.

 

Wong has been prime minister-in-waiting since April 2022 after the previous anointed successor stepped aside unexpectedly and derailed the carefully choreographed leadership transition typical in the affluent Asian financial centre.

 

Wong, 51, was catapulted into the spotlight as co-head of the government's COVID-19 task force during the pandemic, restricting movement within and in and out of Singapore and overseeing contact-tracing, earning him praise for helping contain infection and keeping deaths low in the city state while also explaining policies clearly to the public.

 

He served as Lee's principal private secretary from 2005 to 2008 and led the education and national development ministries before becoming finance minister in 2021 and deputy prime minister in 2022.

 

In a statement posted on his Facebook page, Lee, 72, prime minister since 2004 and the eldest son of modern Singapore's founding father Lee Kuan Yew, called the leadership transition a "significant moment".

 

"I will relinquish my role as Prime Minister on 15 May 2024 and Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong will be sworn in as the next Prime Minister on the same day," wrote Lee.

 

"Lawrence and the 4G (fourth generation of leaders) team have worked hard to gain the people's trust, notably during the pandemic," he said.

 

In a video statement posted on Facebook, Wong said: "I accept this responsibility with humility and a deep sense of duty. I pledge to give my all to this undertaking."

 

Wong is also deputy chairman of sovereign wealth fund GIC and chairman of the Monetary Authority of Singapore, the Southeast Asian nation's central bank.

 

In addition, he spearheaded a national exercise called Forward Singapore meant to chart the country's "social compact" between the government and the people on how to deal with issues ranging from sustainability to inequality and employment.

 

Still, National University of Singapore political scientist Chong Ja Ian said it was hard to tell what kind of prime minister Wong would be.

 

"No one knows to be honest. Up until now, Wong has not given people a sense of his political vision," said Chong.

 

Chong added that while a leader who doesn't rock the boat may have been more welcome in the past, "given that Singapore is in a more uncertain world today, more of the same may not be good enough".

 

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/singapore-pm-lee-hand-over-power-successor-wong-may-15-2024-04-15/

 

[6of1_halfdozenofother]

If they relocate, the next location's street address should be on "Apple Daily Road".  

 

Quote

 

US bill aims to rename street of Hong Kong trade office ‘Jimmy Lai Way,’ as city condemns ‘malicious interference’

The move aims to honour the 76-year-old media tycoon currently facing a national security trial in Hong Kong, though a government spokesperson urged the US not to “interfere” in its affairs when approached by HKFP for a response.

by HONG KONG FREE PRESS10 HOURS AGO

 

A US bill has been introduced to rename part of the street in front of Hong Kong’s representative office in Washington DC “Jimmy Lai Way.”

 

The move aims to honour the 76-year-old media tycoon currently facing a national security trial in Hong Kong, though the city’s government urged the US not to “interfere” in its affairs when approached by HKFP for a response on Monday.

 

The HKETO in Washington DC, USA. File photo: Googlemaps.

 

According to a press release from Republican congressman Chris Smith last Thursday, the Hong Kong Economic Trade Office would be forced to state its address as “1 Jimmy Lai Way” in reference to “the renowned Hong Kong human rights defender who remains unjustly imprisoned by Hong Kong authorities.”

 

Pro-democracy activist and founder of newspaper Apple Daily Jimmy Lai. File photo: Todd Darling.

 

“Jimmy Lai is a man of faith and conviction, someone who fervently believed that Hong Kong’s prosperity and vitality were built on the rights promised to its citizens,” said Smith, who is also chair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China. “[The HKETO’s] new address will symbolize that this champion of freedom stands against their growing authoritarianism and human rights abuses.”

 

Gov’t slams ‘interference’

 

Lai, founder of Hong Kong’s defunct Apple Daily newspaper and a high-profile supporter of the city’s pro-democracy movement, has been accused of violating the Beijing-imposed national security law. If convicted, he faces life behind bars.

 

The HKETO holds frequent business events in the US. Photo: HEKTO Washington DC via Flickr.

 

On Monday, a Hong Kong government spokesperson said no-one should comment on ongoing cases, as it urged the US to “respect the basic norms governing international relations and stop maliciously interfering in the affairs of the HKSAR.”

 

They added that no-one is above the law, nor immune from legal sanctions under the rule of law: “The HKSAR Government must emphasise that all cases are handled strictly on the basis of evidence and in accordance with the law. All defendants will receive fair trial strictly in accordance with laws applicable to Hong Kong (including the Hong Kong National Security Law and the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance) and as protected by the Basic Law and the Hong Kong Bill of Rights.”

 

Lai is facing two counts of taking part in a “conspiracy to collude with foreign forces” under the security legislation, and also for conspiring to publish “seditious” materials under a colonial-era law. The self-made millionaire’s media outlet, which was forced to close in June 2021 after senior staff were arrested, faces the same charges. Apple Daily’s newsroom was raided twice, and its assets were frozen.

 

The US, Chinese flag and Hong Kong flag. File photo: Tom Grundy/HKFP.

 

When Lai’s trial began on December 18, 2023, he had already spent more than 1,000 days in custody after having had his bail revoked in December 2020. Three judges – handpicked by Hong Kong’s chief executive to hear national security cases – are presiding over Lai’s trial in the place of a jury, marking a departure from the city’s common law traditions.

 

A US bill that would close Hong Kong’s representative offices entirely in Washington DC, New York and San Francisco – on the grounds that the city no longer has a high degree of autonomy from China – was passed by the congressional House Foreign Affairs Committee last November. A Hong Kong government spokesperson said that the act was “factually wrong,” and amounted to “gross interference” at the time.

 

EU parliament motion

 

Also last Thursday, the European Parliament adopted a resolution denouncing Hong Kong authorities’ “obstructions to trial monitoring” after a Reporters Without Borders representative was denied entry to city to witness the Lai trial.

 

Aleksandra Bielakowska was detained, searched, and questioned for six hours at the international airport before being deported.

 

Beijing inserted national security legislation directly into Hong Kong’s mini-constitution in June 2020 following a year of pro-democracy protests and unrest. It criminalised subversion, secession, collusion with foreign forces and terrorist acts – broadly defined to include disruption to transport and other infrastructure. The move gave police sweeping new powers and led to hundreds of arrests amid new legal precedents, while dozens of civil society groups disappeared. The authorities say it restored stability and peace to the city, rejecting criticism from trade partners, the UN and NGOs.

 

https://hongkongfp.com/2024/04/30/us-bill-seeks-to-rename-street-of-hong-kong-trade-office-jimmy-lai-way-as-city-condemns-malicious-interference/

[UnkNuk]

And yet another tragedy continues to unfold:

 

What is going on in Sudan? A country torn by civil war is on the verge of famine

 

The catastrophic conflict in Sudan, now in its second year, has triggered the world’s worst displacement crisis, forcing nearly nine million people to flee their homes. With famine looming, it could soon lead to the world’s worst hunger crisis. And it has huge geopolitical implications, drawing in fighters and weapons from across Africa and the Middle East.

 

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/gift/5647385edcff2020c0b78cafdec336f965b6fac6c5bf41ffeb1ac3eb5cc30ad2/IYKMFBL35BHJ3G6NZF2DHL2JU4/

 

 

[6of1_halfdozenofother]

You don't say!  

 

Quote

Intelligence chief warns Canadians that China can use TikTok to spy on them

CSIS director says data gleaned from popular app 'is available to the government of China'

Catharine Tunney · CBC News · Posted: May 17, 2024 1:00 AM PDT | Last Updated: 1 hour ago

TikTok app logo is seen in this illustration taken, August 22, 2022. (Dado Ruvic/Reuters)

 

In some of his most hawkish comments to date, the head of Canada's intelligence agency is warning Canadians —  including teenagers — against using the wildly popular video app TikTok.

 

"My answer as director of [the Canadian Security Intelligence Service] is that there is a very clear strategy on the part of the government of China ... to be able to acquire ... personal information from anyone around the world," said CSIS director David Vigneault in an interview with CBC's The House airing Saturday.

 

"As an individual, I would say that I would absolutely not recommend someone have TikTok."

 

Vigneault said it's "very clear" from the app's design that data gleaned from its users "is available to the government of China."

 

"Most people can say, 'Why is it a big deal for a teenager now to have their data [on TikTok]?' Well in five years, in 10 years, that teenager will be a young adult, will be engaged in different activities around the world," he told host Catherine Cullen.

 

"If you are, for whatever reason, getting in the crosshairs of the [People's Republic of China], they will have a lot of information about you."

 

His comments come a week after CSIS released an annual report which warned about Chinese President Xi Jinping's growing extraterritorial reach.

 

The report said the Chinese president has introduced provisions giving Beijing the ability to control data in China, and expansive laws that require Chinese citizens anywhere in the world to assist and cooperate with China's intelligence services.

 

WATCH: CSIS chief warns of the dangers of TikTok   

 

Top spy warns about the dangers of TikTok

 

9 hours ago

Duration2:24

CSIS director David Vigneault says using TikTok is risky and the potential for the government of China to access personal data from the social media platform poses a ‘threat to the way we live.’ 

 

 

"They're using big data analytics, they have amazing computer farms crunching the data, they are developing artificial intelligence ... based on using this data," Vigneault said.

 

"The ultimate goal is always to protect the interests of the Chinese Communist Party. And so from that point of view, in many ways, this is a threat to the way we live." 

TikTok argues servers hosted outside China 

Vigneault is just the latest Western official to raise concerns about TikTok putting sensitive user data in the hands of the Chinese government.

 

TikTok's parent company ByteDance is also accused of helping to build China's system for cracking down on the Uyghur minority, and of targeting protesters in Hong Kong.

 

Critics say they fear China could continue to use TikTok's content recommendations to spread misinformation and bury dissent.

 

Last month, U.S. President Joe Biden signed a bill into law that gives TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, one year to sell the app to avoid a ban. (Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters)

 

TikTok has long maintained that its servers are outside of China and beyond the control of the Chinese Communist Party, and that it follows Canadian data protection and privacy laws.

 

In a statement issued Friday, Danielle Morgan, a spokesperson for TikTok in Canada, called CSIS's assertions "unsupported by evidence."

 

"TikTok has never shared Canadian user data with the Chinese government, nor would we if asked," she said. 

 

"Singling out one platform and making unsupported accusations does not make Canadians safer. We will continue to engage with Canadian officials and would welcome the opportunity to meet with CSIS to discuss how we protect the privacy and security of Canadians."

 

Last month, U.S. President Joe Biden signed a bill into law that gives TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, one year to sell the app to avoid a ban.

 

In response, both ByteDance and content creators are suing the U.S. government in separate lawsuits.

 

Vigeault stopped short of recommending publicly that the Canadian government ban TikTok if it doesn't cut ties with the Chinese government.

 

Last fall, the Liberal government ordered a national security review of TikTok. A spokesperson for Industry Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne said in March that the government could take action "if a case under review is found to be injurious to Canada's national security."

 

Vigneault said he'll take part in that review and offer advice.

 

"I think the government has made the first step in recent months when it banned the use of TikTok on government devices. I think it was a very astute approach to take," he said.

 

WATCH | Trudeau asked about potential U.S. TikTok ban 

 

Trudeau asked about potential U.S. TikTok ban

 

23 days ago

Duration0:32

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is declining to comment on the U.S. closing in on a bill that could ban TikTok — but says the federal government will continue to 'look closely' at the safety of Canadians. 

 

 

Vigneault is not the only senior Canadian intelligence official to weigh in on the use of TikTok.

 

In an interview last year, Sami Khoury, the man who oversees cybersecurity for the federal government, said Canadians should be wary of apps that could put their data in the "wrong hands" and should question their own data collection policies.

 

"Why does an application need to access all of my contact list? Why does it need to access my calendar, my email, my phone records?" said Khoury, head of the Communications Security Establishment's Canadian Centre for Cyber Security.

 

"You layer on top of that the risk of connecting my 200 [contacts] with your 200 and then you have an aggregate of information. In some cases, it lands in places that don't live by the same principles of rule of law [and] respect for human rights."

 

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/csis-tikok-vigneault-1.7206000

 

In other news, water is wet and the sun is bright!