Cisco Helps China Keep an Eye On Its Citizens

doperative writes "Western companies including Cisco Systems Inc. are poised to help build an ambitious new surveillance project in China — a citywide network of as many as 500,000 cameras that officials say will prevent crime but that human-rights advocates warn could target political dissent. An examination of the Peaceful Chongqing project by The Wall Street Journal shows Cisco is expected to supply networking equipment that is essential to operating large and complicated surveillance systems, according to people familiar with the deal."

So who are the British government's suppliers?

[John Hasler]

n/t

Same Old Cisco

[eldavojohn]

In 2008 it was revealed that The Great Firewall of China was just a huge opportunity to them [wired.com] to sell more routers. In May, Falun Gong sued them [slashdot.org]. Even shareholders have been uneasy with Cisco's fervent complacency [slashdot.org] and complete lack of human rights doctrine. I think as far back as 2004 we've discussed the Amnesty report naming Cisco [slashdot.org].

I think this is just more of the same. They sold China the equipment for the great firewall and you are surprised that Cisco is chomping at the bit for the next big project? The only headline newsworthy enough would be if Cisco refused to make a buck on the grounds that their product will obviously be used to repress peaceful foreign citizens or keep 1/6 of the world's population censored.

Re:Same Old Cisco

[fuzzyfuzzyfungus]

In the spirit of idle curiousity, I have to wonder if Cisco is purely an amoral, sociopathic, profit-seeking entity, and just doesn't give a fuck, or whether their higher-ups actually get the warm and fuzzies from the fact that they are on the leading edge of Benthamite dystopia technology?

They could, certainly, just be swallowing their doubts and keeping an eye on the bottom line; but nothing says that the people within the corporation are having to battle pangs of conscience in order to do what is profitable.

Re:Same Old Cisco

[Anonymous Coward]

... is purely an amoral, sociopathic, profit-seeking entity, and just doesn't give a fuck,

Well, that's the sociological description of a corporation: legally, a sociopathic person.

Which then brings up another question - if one has to conform to the norms of said corporation, does that make one a sociopath?

For example, if you're working for a large corporation that makes a product that harms the public and you are the one who denies that there is anything wrong or you are a scientist that has to come up with "data" that refutes others findings of said harm, doesn't that make you a sociopath too?

Or just to "fit in" with said sociopathic corporation makes you a sociopath?

Which makes all of Cisco's employees sociopaths?

Why Cisco, when they have Huawei?

[haruchai]

  Isn't Huawei up to the task of network surveillance or are the Chinese looking for more tech to steal?