How China is becoming the emperor of technology by shutting down Facebook-YouTube, Google

How China is becoming the emperor of technology by shutting down Facebook-YouTube, Google: Imagine a country without Google, Facebook, YouTube or WhatsApp. And yet they are the forefront leaders of technology now.

This rise of China in technology is not merely a story of development but rather another silent revolution in the familiar spheres of information warfare: all these developments and changes are not just bombs, and bullets have become yesterday's news now: today's battle is about capturing information, capturing the brains; and China put its stake in this war. 

It is that there already a long time ago-a nation is doomed if it gives data of its citizens to companies from other nations. On that commented realization, they have shut off Google, Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, Instagram, and even Microsoft's Bing search engine.

But simply banning is not the way that they present. Instead, they have thereby begun building an alternative infrastructure of technology.

• Baidu instead of Google
• WeChat instead of WhatsApp
• Youku instead of YouTube

Instead of using Google Pay, any other method of payment through social media domestic to China or Renren would be involved.

Thus, their information remains with them. The political outlook of the Chinese populace, private dialogues, eating habits, everyday life practices—are being kept away from external eyes. The most surprising has to be that China is consciously working on projects to shape its future generations.

Children under 14 are restricted in time on Douyin-the Chinese version of TikTok; the app closes at 10 pm, showing them scientific, history-related, and patriotic content. In contrast, kids here are greeted by adult ads, obscene song videos, and nonsense on YouTube.

Robotics, coding, mathematics, and applied technology were being taught in Chinese schools. Our youth are busy with filter selfies, making reels, dancing, and singing-none of which get into the depths of information but stay afloat at its surface.

In China, they are convinced that the future lies in technology. And if this technology belongs to someone else, that means they can be controlled through information.

Google, YouTube, ChatGPT-their algorithms are an analysis of our posts and comments, search history, and perhaps, our own personal feelings. In other words, we are giving away our own information for entertainment while losing control.

China never made such a mistake. They make sure they control their data. No outsider can make an impact on their thoughts and feelings.

Therefore, today, China is a technological superpower. It plays by its own rules, while we are still a post-colonial society digitally harassed from our residences, leaving everything, all information, to foreigners. 

Google knows when you go to sleep, Apple knows whom you talk to, and Facebook knows whom you run away with. 

Will we ever be able to protect our information like China, or will information slavery be the future in the name of freedom of information?

FAQs:

Q1: Why did China ban Facebook, YouTube, and Google?
A: China banned these platforms to control information, protect national security, and foster the growth of local tech companies. The goal was to limit foreign influence and promote digital sovereignty.

Q2: What is the Great Firewall of China?
A: The "Great Firewall" is China’s internet censorship and surveillance project that blocks access to many foreign websites and filters content deemed harmful or politically sensitive.

Q3: How did banning these platforms help Chinese tech companies grow?
A: Without competition from Western giants, Chinese companies like Baidu, Tencent, Alibaba, and ByteDance had a massive domestic user base to grow, innovate, and dominate the market.

Q4: What role does the Chinese government play in tech development?
A: The government offers heavy support through funding, policies (like Made in China 2025), and regulation to guide and protect national tech champions.