I’m convinced the whole “your computer will instantly turn into a botnet that cripples children’s hospitals the moment you disable Windows Update” thing is part of Microsoft’s internet propaganda.

Like there are sysadmins for pretty big industries that schedule updates, sometimes once a month or even less frequently. Why aren’t they worried about all the 0-day remote code execution exploits that supposedly exist every single day?

Why doesn’t China, North Korea’s biggest trading partner, pressure them to be less authoritarian?

They’re definitely among the worst.

frequently stopping young people on the streets to inspect their phones and review text messages for banned language

I’m really tired of people saying “both sides are the same” when it comes to western capitalist exploitation vs eastern totalitarian authoritarianism.

It’s ironically so privileged to even make the comparison because if it were the same, you wouldn’t have been allowed to make this comment.

BBC is a pretty reputable source.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SNC-Lavalin_affair

In Canada we were told that putting execs in jail would “hurt jobs” and we had to pass a law that said they just get a fine instead.

The execs in question were caught selling hookers to Qaddafi’s son.