China's tech workers pushed to limits by surveillance software

Could be a bit off-topic, but “Involution” (like racing among peers for long working hours) is super real for China’s tech industry. Not even sure it’s related to the ideology - same symptom among Chinese engineers in Bay Area as well. Surveillance is not even necessary for big tech in China since “involuted” work culture is pretty much the norm.

Source: native Chinese, “内卷”/involution is a very hot topic in Chinese community recently

I think this is evidence that a 4-hour workweek is a fantasy.

Here you have a communist government who could make a pronouncement tomorrow dictating to its capitalist industry that no one is to work more than 40-hours a week, or four (just ask JackM if they can't turn on a dime for you). They don't have to go through contentious congress or anything, just some backroom dealing and rubberstamping and done. So, dream on. That 4-hour workweek is not coming. Capitalism, Communism/Marxism be damned.

We can only hope to avoid the same kind of surveillance, but everyone seems happy with third party doctrine for the public and spying on employees for the private sector.

> Canon Information Technology in Beijing, unveiled a new workspace management system that only allows smiling employees to enter the office and book conference rooms.