Summary of China - Surveillance state or way of the future? | DW Documentary

00:00:00 - 00:40:00

The video discusses how China has developed a surveillance state, motivated by financial incentives from the government. This technology can be used to identify and track individuals based on their ethnicity, which raises ethical concerns.

• 00:00:00 In this DW documentary, experts discuss how China's surveillance state is evolving and how it affects both Germany and other countries. While there are benefits to the technology, such as cashless payments and internet-equipped cars, there are also concerns about the privacy of citizens and the potential for abuse.
• 00:05:00 In China, a surveillance system has been developed that can monitor every resident in an office district. The system was developed in less than a year and can be called up in real time. Residents who are not following the rules are captured on camera from three different angles. The so-called brain acts swiftly to handle any issues that come up.
• 00:10:00 In this video, a student and her boyfriend talk about their experiences with the Chinese social networking app, Tick-Tock. The app is constantly collecting data on users' activity, including what they like and dislike, and the couple is curious about what it knows about them. Researchers at the Roe Universities Institute for Security and Ethics say that the app may be collecting information on users' location, phone model, and likes and comments.
• 00:15:00 The video explores the question of whether it is even possible to walk down a Beijing street without being captured on camera, as such surveillance has become ubiquitous in the country. The artist has been questioned several times by police for his politically sensitive work, and his latest project also grapples with privacy concerns.
• 00:20:00 The video discusses China's social credit system, which rewards people for following rules and punishing rule breakers. Professor Dai Shin has studied the topic for years and believes that the system is necessary to create obedient citizens. However, some residents are concerned about the amount of data that is collected and how it is used.
• 00:25:00 China is a country with a thriving technology industry, where many companies rely on savvy consumers to drive growth. One such company is Xiaomi, which is known for its high-quality, affordable smartphones. However, in 2018, a scandal involving the company's data collection practices undermined its positive messaging. In Germany, where data protection is considered very important, Xiaomi has emerged as the third most populous smartphone maker. However, its products are also popular in China, where government surveillance is based largely on facial recognition technology.
• 00:30:00 This video discusses the Chinese government's use of facial recognition technology in order to monitor and control its population. While the technology is not popular in Germany, where the pilot project for the technology was first implemented, it is much more popular in China, where it is being used to track and control the population.
• 00:35:00 In China, surveillance cameras and other data are analyzed in order to identify suspects and track their movements. Internment camps known as "vocational training centers" are also reportedly used to detain people who are believed to be subversive. The government denies that these camps exist, but international observers disagree. They say that about a million people have disappeared into these camps, and that torture and sexual violence are common. The birth rate among the detainees has reportedly decreased since the government's repression began.
• 00:40:00 This video discusses how China has developed a surveillance state, motivated by financial incentives from the government. This technology can be used to identify and track individuals based on their ethnicity, which raises ethical concerns.