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Comment by jackmaney | Hacker News Reader

Okay, so...

1. Google builds stuff that lets lots of people have access to information. Already knew that.

2. Google has a team of engineers that build stuff to let lots of people have access to information, including people in developing countries or countries that have restricted internet access. Yep, knew that, too.

3. An open internet is good. Check.

....So what? At the risk of sounding like a marketing douchebag, where's the call to action here? Is this supposed to be some kind of new Google product? Or is it just a bunch of PR?

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The United States Department of Defense is doubling down on investment in the tech sector for national security and strategic purposes.

One of these investments is into something called "Civil Society Apps" - applications that support exporting American culture and values to certain areas of the world.

The United States benefits by being the center of entertainment (Hollywood), for example, and by having US Social Networking sites filter the content according to American values and ideals across the world.

This is a form of 'soft power'.

The DoD's investment in the tech sector, while also focusing on defensive and offensive cyber capabilities, is putting money into culture export apps.

While some of this work is already done, the governments and civil societies and organizations of other countries do not always like this export, and the US has been known to 'weaponize' some of the networks to stir revolution, dissent, etc (e.g. ZunZuneo).

Google Shield is a project whereby these cultural export apps can be given additional protection.

i can't thank you enough for making this comment and the above one ( https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9681482 ). people, especially tech/culturally/bullshit literate americans need to focus and _see_ what is happening. international citizens, especially from certain parts of the world, eat whatever the US feeds them, but i've noticed that americans tend to be _very_ good at spotting bs when they are paying attention. the only thing needed is for their hearts to be in the right place. that will determine whether they decide to play along or help.

now, i beg the above user, or someone with an equally clear and analytical mind, to take a long and hard look at india, and what's happening with the urbanised (aka westernized) and so called sophisticated society of india, especially the youth. key words : whatsapp, instagram, mass message forwarding, hollywood, atheism, gender equality, sexual liberation, 'jesus christ', delhi rape, us kashmir india map vs indian govt india map; eventually you'll spot the pattern. we need help from the outside, urgently.

read on the internet.org initiative. google is not alone. they are out to get everyone.

also, (imo) anyone upvoting, commenting, and (probably) even viewing this page is on a list, and their preferences and moral leanings are being analysed. i can't be sure if that is individually, or in a grouping of data. so comment and upvote with care, and try to ensure anonymity.

- an international student with lots of american friends, who loves weed, flirts with other drugs, and tries to keep an open mind

ps - best of luck to us all and thank you if you sincerely read the whole message

Perhaps you could speak some more about what's happening in India?

Here's what I understand: the United States and the West are partnering very heavily with India to get it to rise in tandem with China. India doesn't have a goal to be a global power, and its economy is much more closely integrated with the West, so it's a very kind strategic ally in the changing global economic situation. Its growth and its rise is an area of balance for the West in a world where trade and economy are shifting away from the old world and into the Asia Pacific.

India, with regard to geostrategy, is uniquely placed for growth. Of course it has a large population, which is a huge help, but it also likely to benefit from the trillions of dollars of investment being made by China's investment in Eurasian oil pipelines and trade routes (and Russia's attempt to galvinize a Eurasian Union).

That is to say India will benefit both by West and by East investment.

Now, in support of this Modi (which is in large part the 'West's man') has agreed to Westernize a very great deal and to grow India in very specific and strategic ways.

An example of this is China's investment and experimentation with "Smart Cities" - cities that are designed so that every piece of socioeconomic data can be recorded and adjusted. The idea with a smart city is that this level of insight allows huge boons in the study of, governing of, and changes to the municipality.

With the West's encouragement and investment (through multilateral investment groups) India has not only performed huge amounts of financial reorganization but also promises to build 100 smart cities of its own.

And interesting twist on this is that the smart cities invented by the West have an investment clause: the West wants to 'own' the city - to have equity in it - so that the cities are privately owned and that when people pay to live in the cities and as the cities produce surplus this money goes back into the pockets of private investors.

This is a kind of scary prospect for those who have traditional Western grounding as it makes these cities seem more like giant corporations (or maybe 'fiefs'?) than democracies.

But this probably isn't what the poster above is talking about?

Could you speak more about what trends you see in India?

this and more. i actually had no idea that something like the smart cities you mentioned was planned. and neither does any of the general public here. the idea is terrifying. i wonder where and how will they build these entire new cities and how will they cajole working ckass people into moving there, since villagers are definitely not part of their hifi money techno compounds.

it is very interesting to see your perspective on the global economic position that india occupies. think about how one country can actually 'own' shares of the very cities of another free democracy.

please do not take offence when i say that i can't tell you anything concrete at this stage, except harp about the evils of culture domination, about history repeating itself, and about researching more on my previous comment (if you are so inclined). this is in part because i haven't grasped the pattern fully myself, and for the safety of my dear ones. i just believe as much as a mind can, that there is evil afoot (apologies for being dramatic but i fully believe that a lot of countries including india face grave, long term threats).

i will leave you with this - https://ghanshyamtank.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/lord-macau...

"Neo-colonialism" may be the term you are looking for, along with "soft power".

Russia and China in particular are upset with this form of cultural domination and export by the West. Both have stated quite frankly in real terms that they seek to maintain and spread their own culture instead and in fact both Russia and China have begun programs for culture export based on the US model.

China is heavily invested in working in Eurasia, Africa and South America at the moment. They are a bit careful about the Middle East.

Looks exactly like https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dulles%27_Plan

With regard to the quote I found this: http://history.stackexchange.com/questions/10055/what-is-the...

It looks like the speech has no good reliable source.

That doesn't mean this isn't happening or doesn't happen. Merely it means that the quote isn't supporting evidence.

0_o

http://picardfacepalm.com

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-0TEJMJOhk

No tinfoil here.

That's a silly suggestion.

A more productive and charitable way to enter this conversation would be to engage it with fact-based and evidence-laden argumentation, and citation where necessary.

On that end if you have any fact-based questions I'm willing to unpack various claims and to discuss issues and ideas on their own merits.

Don't worry. The radio chatter from the CIA that is broadcast to my dental fillings tells me that I don't need to engage with you further.

I'm sorry that you are so dismissive, especially post Snowden, of the idea that the US has strategic partnerships with US companies.

This is not new, shocking or crazy information. It is not an unreasonable or alien claim.

If you do start reading serious journalism, paying attention to cyberwarfare, read up on current US propaganda efforts, or pay attention to US legislation or anything else that may turn your interest you've discovered that I'm willing to blather quite verbosely and would love to chat more.

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