China - Surveillance state or way of the future? | DW Documentary
3,203,705
Published 2021-10-17
Critics call it "the most ambitious Orwellian project in human history." China's digital surveillance system involves massive amounts of data being gathered by the state. In the so-called "brain" of Shanghai, for example, authorities have an eye on everything. On huge screens, they can switch to any of the approximately one million cameras, to find out who’s falling asleep behind the wheel, or littering, or not following Coronavirus regulations. "We want people to feel good here, to feel that the city is very safe," says Sheng Dandan, who helped design the "brain." Surveys suggest that most Chinese citizens are inclined to see benefits as opposed to risks: if algorithms can identify every citizen by their face, speech and even the way they walk, those breaking the law or behaving badly will have no chance. It’s incredibly convenient: a smartphone can be used to accomplish just about any task, and playing by the rules leads to online discounts thanks to a social rating system.
That's what makes Big Data so attractive, and not just in China. But where does the required data come from? Who owns it, and who is allowed to use it? The choice facing the Western world is whether to engage with such technology at the expense of social values, or ignore it, allowing others around the world to set the rules.
#documentary #freedocumentary #China
______
DW Documentary gives you knowledge beyond the headlines. Watch top documentaries from German broadcasters and international production companies. Meet intriguing people, travel to distant lands, get a look behind the complexities of daily life and build a deeper understanding of current affairs and global events. Subscribe and explore the world around you with DW Documentary.
Subscribe to:
⮞ DW Documentary (English): youtube.com/dwdocumentary
⮞ DW Documental (Spanish): youtube.com/dwdocumental
⮞ DW Documentary (Arabic): youtube.com/dwdocarabia
⮞ DW Doku (German): youtube.com/dwdoku
⮞ DW Documentary (Hindi): youtube.com/dwdochindi
For more visit: www.dw.com/en/tv/docfilm/s-3610
Follow DW Documentary on Instagram: www.instagram.com/dwdocumentary/
Follow DW Documental on Facebook: www.facebook.com/dwdocumental
We kindly ask viewers to read and stick to the DW netiquette policy on our channel: p.dw.com/p/MF1G
All Comments (21)
-
The last thing I want is my phone or my refrigerator telling me an onion is going to go bad in a week. A cabin in the woods is sounding better and better.
-
Just the fact that criticism is classed as resistance, says it all ..
-
This is indeed concerning. What's even more concerning is that China is definitely not the only country that imposes this level of surveillance.
-
There is no way I want to live in a society like this.
-
They watch us, but who is watching them. " government officials ". We live in a hypocrisy
-
God bless DW for producing these outstanding documentaries and making them available for free. They are better than BBC, CNN, NBC, etc put together.
-
Thank you for spending the time to create and share this content/awareness
-
What incredible documentaries. And the best of all, free. Thanks for this quality content DW Documentary.
-
Technology isn't scary but when it falls in the wrong hands it's deadly.
-
This is pure orwellian horror..
-
thanks Dw for broadcasting these type of documentaries that too free.i have watched couple of other documentaries also by DW and I must say..it's awesome.
-
Tremendous, informative and an extraordinary documentary👍. Thank you DW team.
-
High technology is fascinating but meanwhile what it is capable of is terrifying
-
The start with the entire family at the dinner table distantly staring at their phones is all you need to know about how ‘good’ this way of the future is
-
I live in china, you won’t think you lost your privacy with so many cameras, on the contrary, you feel safe,you can even went out to eat anywhere ,anytime. Because it’s controlled by the government, the information is safer to be managed by it than other companies. As for tiktok,i think many apps collect data from users,even YouTube,for your preference
-
As a Chinese, or more precisely as a human being, I don't want to live in an electronic prison. While egregious crimes would be greatly reduced by this e-prison, it becomes much easier for the government to commit crimes, not to mention a communist dictatorship. This is much more horrific than individual crime.
-
That dystopic future we were scared of is already here!
-
There is NOTHING good about this. Orwell told us exactly how this ends.
-
I watched a documentary about the problems and benefits of to many cameras, Like in the supermarket if you buy junk food your credit rating goes down, buy healthy goes up, alcohol, cigarettes your credit rating goes down. Going to the gym and exercising in any capacity gets your credit rating higher.. that’s scary stuff
-
The surveillance effectively reduced the crime rate drastically.
