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Comment by 42_ | Hacker News Reader

The standard of evidence for a country with free press cannot and should not be compared to the standard of evidence for a country with no press freedom. China controls flow of information so tightly, that even rumours should be considered credible unless proven otherwise.

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>even rumours should be considered credible unless proven otherwise.

That's rather convenient. Wonder if any global powers with a vested interest could take advantage of this mindset...

Yeah, its convenient, but even more convenient is the mindset of ignoring existing evidence and bending over backwards for the pleasure of profiting off cheap manufacturing.

Free press is a nebulous concept, especially considering that for all but the most naive or disingenuous person the mass media press is an indirect tool of the intelligence services of each country.

> China controls flow of information so tightly, that even rumours should be considered credible unless proven otherwise.

You could say exactly the same about the military occupation of every country, or are we getting the whole truth in Syria, Afghanistan, Yemen or Iraq?

For me this a case of simply, "Since I am American/European I will believe my press" Well, I am not Chinese, neither American or European so I dont have that automatic loyalty nor prejudice.

I am also not Chinese, American or European, but I will say that prejudice is totally warranted against authoritarian regimes. Free press simply refers to an ability to present an opposing view point, which authoritarian governments despise.

Where is the opposite point the western "free press" saying, maybe China is not committing Genocide? Because reading publications like The Economist, The New York Times or The Guardian you will never find it.Where is the opposite point in the mainstream press asking for GW Bush to be trialed as a war criminal (which he is)?

So according to your logic, both "x is True" "x is False" should appear side by side? That is not the meaning of free press.

No, but nice strawman, congrats. According to my logic , if A does something wrong and it is heavily criticized in the press, when B does the same I expect the same level of criticism and that does not happen at all. Then it is obvious the press is responding to many incentives (political , economical, tribal) which make it not really that free.

> Where is the opposite point the western "free press" saying, maybe China is not committing Genocide?

For example, you are saing it here, on English-speaking website located in USA. And you are not scared of possible consequences for you and your family.

I am pretty sure there are many better examples, but this one is here and now, and hard to deny.

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