China government takedown request for GitHub repos | Hacker News Reader

China government takedown request for GitHub repos

github.com

38 pointsfeross20 comments

Just sampled a repo on the list: https://github.com/xi-yu-yan-kai-fa/Xi-Yuyan

I find it interesting that the Chinese government wants to take down such a repo, because it is very much harmless.

Some observations:

- The repo is still accessible, but the README.md was cleared at a commit [1] on 23 Jan 2021, one day after the take down request on 22 Jan 2021 (see its complete history [2]).

- The repo appears to be a political message against Xi, as a markdown file (README.md [1]) and an image (xiyuyan.png [3]).

- The repo invents a new programming language, 习语言 XI YU YAN (The Xi Language), whose example README.md is loaded with political messages [1]:

WHILE-LOOP keyword is “re-elected”, as Xi is “re-elected” repeatedly;

VARIABLE-DECLARATION keyword is “I-declare”;

RETURN keyword is “going backward”, probably to before the reform and opening of China by Deng Xiaoping;

and other political references (One Belt One Road, etc.).

This is easily be protected by free speech in other countries.

Regardless, the fact that the Chinese government thinks this need to be taken down speaks quite a lot of their insecurity.

[1]: https://github.com/xi-yu-yan-kai-fa/Xi-Yuyan/commit/d98c5fe3... "Commit to clear the README.md after the takedown request"

[2]: https://github.com/xi-yu-yan-kai-fa/Xi-Yuyan/commits/master/... "History of README.md"

[3]: https://github.com/xi-yu-yan-kai-fa/Xi-Yuyan/blob/master/xiy... "Xi Yu Yan -- The Xi Language"

This reminds me of the popular Shadowsocks program used to subvert the Great Firewall: https://github.com/shadowsocks/shadowsocks

The developer just made the default branch empty with a message saying "Removed according to regulations." in the README. The master branch was left untouched though, pretty good troll.

And GitHub actually complied with their requests. I don’t live in China, why am I subject to their laws? Any recommendations for alternative source repos?

Since almost everybody is bending their knees and complying to authoritarian requests, I think the safest options are self hosting and variations.

What’s your point? Anyone outside the US or even outside California is subject to laws outside of their jurisdiction all the time. Welcome to the Internet.

Don't spread this nonsense.

What nonsense? GDPR also claims to be applicable worldwide if you serve EU nationals.

“… if you serve EU nationals”. Agreed. I am not a China national. Nonsense, yes?

I am not an EU national either but I get to experience the cookie banners too. Is that also nonsense?

It actually is. I wish the US would put sanctions on the EU for all the man-hours wasted clicking those stupid things.

My point is not too hard to understand, stay with me here. I don’t live in China, therefore not subject to their laws. GitHub is not a China company, therefore not subject to their laws when serving non China users. I’m taking a stand to ensure that my rights are not trampled on by an irrelevant but dangerous dictatorship, therefore I am asking if anyone has knowledge of alternatives to GitHub, who seem to have some obligation to China.

I guess you haven't read the Hong Kong national security law. Everyone is subject to the law!

Apologies, I don’t understand. Are you missing a /s for sarcasm? Why would anyone outside Hong Kong be subservient to their laws?

It's not sarcasm. Look it up.

Every government in the world now seems to think they can control any company in the world. It's rather insane.

I think it’s just dictatorships and dicwannabe governments. This list includes former democracies known as the US, UK and others (you know who you are)

I'm not in the loop - why is China concerned about speech synthesis software?

Deepfakes of Xi launching an attack on Taiwan.

Can you elaborate?

Winnie the Pooh strikes again.

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