This is a complicated subject…
- Facebook: “Facebook Inc is no longer allowing pre-installation of its apps on Huawei phones, the latest blow for the Chinese tech giant as it struggles to keep its business afloat in the face of a U.S. ban on its purchase of American parts and software. “
- Google: “According to a report from The Financial Times, Google’s recent discussions with the US government actually argue that the Huawei ban is bad for national security. Google is reportedly asking for an exemption from the export ban. “
…so I’m just going to go back to first principles and work from there: Huawei has difficulty moving around sometimes because of the way that the People’s Republic of China has, pardon my Klatchian, jammed its hand up the company’s ass. Also, and yes I know that this skates along my self-imposed line, what’s good for Google is not necessarily good for the United States of America. Judging from the way that certain individuals I know wince every time I say the name ‘Huawei,’ we were apparently long overdue in developing separation between us and them.
So, yeah, I think that Facebook’s instincts are the sounder ones, here. Not necessarily ‘sound,’ but they’re better than Google’s. Although I might be prejudiced by the fact that I haven’t taken that self-evidently lying promise of ‘don’t be evil’ seriously for years. I may be retired from all of this, but I haven’t been lobotomized.
Moe Lane
The fact that Facebook cut Huawei loose is probably actually a point in the latter’s favor in some circles.
Something else to keep in mind…
Google’s been caught (by leaks from its own employees) helping China to improve its internet surveillance on that country’s own citizens. I think it’s safe to say that the company’s adopting this stance toward Huawei purely to continue to get in good with the government in Beijing.