CCP Technology Giants Provide Algorithm Details To Government For The First Time

According to Irish Examiner on August 15th, 2022:

The Internet giants of Communist China, including Tencent and ByteDance that owns TikTok, have shared their algorithm details with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) government for the first time. This is an unprecedented move that may pose huge risks to data security around the world.

An internet supervisory agency published a list of 30 algorithms used by companies, including Alibaba and Meituan, which aim to collect user data, customize personal recommendations and provide content. Although the public list does not disclose the actual code, it is not clear to what extent internet companies may disclose their basic software to regulators in private.

Algorithms that determine which TikTok videos, WeChat posts and Instagram photos users see are considered the secret of many online services, which are essential to attract users’ attention and promote growth. In March, Communist China passed regulations requiring internet companies to disclose such tools, which is more insidious than its intelligence law, which only allows companies to submit data needed by the government. The government can directly control and demand companies to only show what they want users to see, collect user information that the government wants, and other ulterior purposes that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) may have.

Whether algorithms in the technology industry should be strictly protected has always been at the core of political controversy around the world. This disclosure requirement makes the CCP different from countries such as the United States, where Facebook-owner Meta Platforms and Alphabet’s Google have successfully argued that algorithms are business secrets, making it impossible for legislators and activists seek to better understand how they plan content and manage data.