Page 93 - IBT October 2020
P. 93

World                                                                            data that we give away so willingly                      headlines. This incident resulted in   brought under the net as a pledge of   Tik Tok Tik Tok

                                                                                                                                           many in the US administration
                                                                                                                                                                             President Xi Jinping's to strengthen
                                                                                  can cause an incomprehensible
                                                                                                                                                                             internet security and benefit the
                                                                                                                                           including President Trump to come
                                                                                                                                                                                                               On June 15, 2020, Chinese and Indian
                                                                                  amount of harm. Then there is the
                                                                                                                                                                                                               military troops engaged in a deadly
                                                                                                                                           under scrutiny. Russia was bashed by
                                                                                                                                                                             nation's cyber sovereignty. According to
                                                                                  advent of Information of Things (IoT)
                                                                                                                                                                             an 18-month study by Peking and
                                                                                                                                           US politicians, especially the
                                                                                                                                                                                                               clash over disputed land that resulted
                                                                                  proliferated by 4G and now, 5g
                                                                                                                                                                                                               in Indian troop casualties and an
                                                                                                                                           Democrats. So it is indeed possible to
                                                                                                                                                                             Stanford University, Chinese university
                                                                                  technologies. In such an
                                                                                                                                                                                                               undisclosed number of Chinese deaths.
                                                                                                                                                                             students showed little interest in
                                                                                                                                           not only affect a country’s democratic
                                                                                  interconnected world via the internet,
                                                                                                                                                                                                               At the end of the month, India had
                                                                                                                                                                             having access to uncensored, political
                                                                                                                                           process but in doing so affect foreign
                                                                                  a cyber threat can result in massive
                                                                                                                                                                                                               banned 59 Chinese mobile apps,
                                                                                                                                                                             content online. The study revealed that
                                                                                                                                           policy as well via technology.
                                                                                  disasters. There is every reason why
                                                                                                                                                                                                               including the popular video platform
                                                                                                                                                                             most students did not actively seek out
                                                                                  governments may wish to restrict the
                                                                                                                                           Filtration Nation
        War                                                                       availability of these sensitive pieces of                The OpenNet Initiative has documented   sensitive content because they grew up   TikTok citing security concerns. This
                                                                                                                                                                             being accustomed to having
                                                                                                                                                                                                               was followed by officials in the US and
                                                                                  information to foreign nations, as well
                                                                                                                                           network filtering of the Internet by
                                                                                                                                                                                                               Australia who have called for bans of
                                                                                                                                                                             information censored.
                                                                                  as, access to devices and
                                                                                                                                                                                                               the app over concerns that the Chinese
                                                                                                                                           national governments in over 40
                                                                                  infrastructure through the internet. It
                                                                                                                                           countries worldwide. Countries use this
                                                                                                                                                                             The Developing
                                                                                                                                                                                                               government can access TikTok’s user
                                                                                  is equally probable that some
                                                                                                                                           network filtering as one of many
                                                                                                                                                                                                               data as the app is owned by
                                                                                  administrations may wish to know
                                                                                                                                                                             Direction
                                                                                                                                                                                                               Beijing-based tech firm ByteDance Ltd.
                                                                                                                                           methods to control the flow of online
                                                                                  about specific details of a country or
                                                                                                                                                                                                               Officials and activists have also
                                                                                                                                           content that is objectionable to the
                                                                                  influence public opinion to gain a
                                                                                                                                                                             Developing countries are now heading
                                                                                                                                                                                                               criticized the company for censoring
                                                                                                                                           filtering governments for social,
                                                                                                                                                                             in a different direction away from
                                                                                  political, economical, and military
                                                                                  edge over rival countries.
                                                                                                                                                                                                               controversial in China (TikTok has
                                                                                                                                           is particularly appealing to
                                                                                                                                                                             technology needs. Independent
                                                                                  State of Play
                                                                                                                                           governments as it allows them to
                                                                                                                                                                                                               denied the allegations).TikTok collects
                                                                                                                                                                             watchdog Freedom House estimates
                                                                                                                                                                                                               users’ location, IP address, and
                                                                                                                                           manipulate content not published
                                                                                  So how do states intervene in the                        political, and security reasons. Filtering   western nations when it comes to their   content deemed politically sensitive or
                                                                                                                                                                             that about almost 40 countries have
                        The Geo-Politics of                                       cyberspace to assert their interests?                    within their borders. In many cases,   now had their telecommunications   browsing history. The app can also
                                                                                                                                           this is to discourage certain social and
                                                                                                                                                                                                               store phone numbers, age, and
                                                                                  Firstly it can be through direct attacks
                                                                                                                                                                             infrastructure designed and
                        Controlling Technology                                    in cyberspace through hackers. We                        religious thoughts as deemed      manufactured by Chinese tech firms.   payment details if users opt-in. TikTok,
                                                                                                                                           anti-state. For example, at least 9
                                                                                                                                                                                                               like all social media companies,
                                                                                                                                                                             Chinese successes in developing
                                                                                  have heard allegations of North
                        In the Online Age                                         Korean hackers attack financial and                      Middle Eastern and North African state   markets include mobile phone giant   collects users’ data but as it is owned
                                                                                                                                           censors use Western-built technologies
                                                                                                                                                                                                               by a Chinese company, it will be
                                                                                                                                                                             Transsion which is known as the
                                                                                  other institutions globally. There can
                                                                                  be counter teams set up to tackle                        to impede access to online content.   “Apple of Africa”.            difficult for the company to refuse
 Traditional politics revolved around                                             offenses such as these by nations                        Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in                                information requests from the Chinese
 the tangible resources of land, water,   By Maimun Mustafa                       under fire. By contrast, it can be a                     Bahrain, UAE, Qatar, Oman, Saudi   E-commerconomics                 government. The same National
 air, and people. These assertions for             only a small glimpse of the ever   simple data collection through                       Arabia, Kuwait, Yemen, Sudan, and   These Chinese systems also favour   Intelligence Law seemed to be the
 power were driven by the economics                increasing impact that the internet   seemingly ‘harmless’ apps for                     Tunisia use the Western-built     Chinese platforms like Alibaba,   undoing of many Chinese tech firms as
 of reigning supreme over physical                 has on our lives through       enjoyment. Moreover, retrieval of                        automated filtering solutions to block   Tencent, and Baidu, as opposed to   was the case with Tik Tok.
 assets. Political powers have risen and   Entrenched in   smartphones.           sensitive documents can also be                          mass content, such as websites that   American giants like Facebook and
 fallen; their weapons have changed                                               ordered by certain political moves.                      provide skeptical views of Islam,   Google. E-platforms services can also   Body of Lies
 shapes and means. As the 4th   Defense  It’s a Smartphone’s                      Moreover national and global policy                      secular and atheist discourse, LGBT,   control the economic interests of a   So how do you decide what is best for
 Industrial Revolution gains more   The connection of technology with   World  The Data   changes can affect nations and                   dating services, and proxy and    nation by diverting business away from   you from the clutter? First, you may
 momentum, the powers of the east   power is nothing new. It is no wonder   With our lives becoming   Revolution  citizens. Whatever the action maybe   anonymity tools. These lists of sites are   western companies like Amazon and   start with reading the End User License
 and west look to extend their   that the first generation computers in   interconnected and sometimes   Ask any cybersecurity specialist   they have serious local and global   maintained by the Western company   Ebay to Alibaba within China.  Agreement of any app. Know what data
 dominions over the most lucrative   the 1940s like Colossus were built for   synonymous with our screen time,   and they will tell you that we live   repercussions.      vendors. However, the question is does   you are giving out and what you
 resources of today - data.  The battles   the military. Moreover, Alan Turing,   the effect of the internet on our   in a world where Facebook and   the filtering stop there? Could there be                 shouldn’t. Whether it’s Faceapp or
 of data are fought with the internet   who is known as the father of   lives is tantamount. Presently   Google know more about us than   The Cold War of Tech  a political agenda to stop companies   Why Huawei  TikTok a moment of enjoyment may
 and with the tools of tech. Welcome to   computing, helped decode encrypted   there are over 3 billion   you do ourselves! Where you are;   Even the war between the Soviets and   from operating? Also, could this   Last year the US-led ban of many   come at a great cost. Second, remember
 World War T.   messages of the Germans for the   smartphone users worldwide.   what you like (and dislike); who   Allies is long gone, the new global   filtration be discriminating?  Huawei products followed by other   the first option. As we want things
 Allies during World War II. Moreover,             you know are some of the basic   tech tug of war is between the US and                                                    countries. The US argued China's 2017   quickly we forget that the many small
 East or West  the foundations of the modern   Individuals spend an average of 3   information that we are willingly   its allies against China, Russia with   The Great Firewall of   National Intelligence Law, which says   details we are giving away may cause
                   hours and 15 minutes on their
 Individuals and companies will soon   internet were conceived by J.C.R.   phones. Americans only spend   sharing in a socially connected   their allies. The game has changed to   organizations must "support, cooperate   regret later.
 be forced to make a stark decision   Licklider of MIT when he was   around 5.4 hours a day using   world. However, think about the   vying with trade versus just traditional   China  with and collaborate in national
 about their online futures in the   working for the Defense Advanced   phones! Specifically, millennials   biometric information that you   military proliferation of weapons. The   The Chinese Firewall is a digital border   intelligence work", meaning Beijing   The Siege.
 divided internet. The choices are   Research Projects Agency (DARPA).   are on their phones 5.7 hours per   have on your smartphone and   US and China especially are at a trade   built by the Chinese Government to   could force Huawei to do its bidding.   In this world of hackers, big tech, and
 simple: the Western approach or a   With contributions of numerous   day, while baby boomers give 5   what access your retina or   war and this has translated into a   control the internet in the mid-1990s.   The biggest impact was on their 5G   governments, data is the new currency
 model shaped by China. The choice   scientists the ARPANET, the internet’s   hours to the same devices. People   fingerprint gives someone. Access   Silent War of Technology too. With the   Some may go as to call it a digital   network contracts as this was thought   and you are the dealer. You are playing
 between the two very different   predecessor was given birth to in   check their smartphones 58 times   to your national ID card, bank   production of software and hardware,   version of the Berlin Wall. With US   to not only have security flaws but also   with bigger players but you can control
 philosophical camps isn’t easy and can   1969. As such, it can make sense that   a day on average with more than   account, or passport? Additionally,   both nations have taken up the notch   services like Facebook being blocked,    potential data seizure by the Chinese   the game. Share smart.
 have serious implications. The   with roots such as this and with the   half of those occurring when they   with the advent of facial   in their vocal dissent of the other.   Chinese digital platforms such as   authorities. Google, Intel, and
 growing debate comes as governments   shift in global power over time,   are at work. 70% of mobile   recognition, machine learning,      WeChat and Baidu aim to provide   Qualcomm have subsequently had to
 globally impose greater national   governments may want to invest their   sessions are shorter than 2   and artificial intelligence you can   Russian Roulette  China’s generation Z everything they   abide by US law and discontinue doing
 restrictions on online activity, often   energy, time, and assets to influence   minutes. Each day millennials   be recognized and your actions   The incident of Russian hackers   could ask for online. 10’s of millions of   business with Huawei as the   The Writer is the CEO of MCFG and Executive
                                                                                                                                                                                                               Director of Global Chamber ® Dhaka & Barisal. He
 motivated by concerns over security   the direction of the information   spend 48 minutes to text. This is   can be predicted.  In the hands of   manipulating influenced the recent   Chinese Generation Z - who are known   geo-politics got intertwined with   can be reached at maimun@globalchamber.org
 and crime.  highway.                              the wrong entity, the very bits of   2016 US Elections created many                     as “The Firewall Generation” have been   business.
                                                                                                            87
                                                                                                 www.ibtbd.net
   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96