What is Uber in Chinese? The app that guarantees mobility with a few gestures on your mobile phone in the megacities of the People’s Republic is called Didi, onomatopoeia for the horn sound in Mandarin. A company founded in 2012 and recently listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Success story? Without any doubt. Too bad that the authority that oversees the Internet in China has suspended the application, effectively cutting off any possible development in its market.
The action was justified with a reference to the unlawful use of personal data of customers (550 million). The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) announced on Sunday that it had called for changes to comply with Chinese data protection regulations, four days after the company’s debut at NYSE with $ 4.4 billion raised.
Although the CAC did not specify the nature of the violations, Didi immediately guaranteed that it had registration of new users was interruptedie removed its app from online stores, ensuring it is willing to apply the required changes to comply with the rules and protect users’ rights. Is this a case similar to the silence imposed on Jack Ma, the pioneer of the Chinese digital economy? Perhaps the founder of Didi, Cheng Wei, has invaded a territory (political power) belonging exclusively to the Party?
In reality the question appears more complex and, probably linked to the landing in the temple of free capitalism. The reference to national security In addition to the fact that other digital companies listed in the same days have also ended up in the crosshairs, in the disposition of the ordinance, it makes one think more of fears of a strategic nature. True, the wealth raised on international markets can partly explain Beijing’s move (Jack Ma made the mistake of criticizing the Chinese banking system, which is closely tied to the CCP).
However, the squeeze in this case seems more related to fears of excessive integration of the national digital system with the rest of the world. In short, opening up to foreign shareholders, increasing shareholders and computer connections (including hidden ones), the danger of intrusions by potential enemies also increases which, as shown by what happens between Russia and the US, are able to bring a country just the click of a mouse.
July 5, 2021 (change July 5, 2021 | 20:47)
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