Abstract
China’s authoritarian digitalization poses a great challenge for data protection, privacy, the development of Industry 4.0 and the sovereignty of countries in other parts of the world. Seeking a deeper understanding of the Chinese Internet revolution is important in order to weigh the risks and benefits of new digital technologies and avoid the trap of moralization. The latter frames the Chinese case in terms of European techno-skepticism rather than gaining a comprehensive evaluation of digital realities. Taking a comparative perspective helps to situate China’s digitalization within general global digital trends. This approach indicates obstacles for Sino-German economic relations, especially with respect to the data economy, emerging AI and digitalized industrial production. A better-informed view that replaces digital orientalism also contributes to preventing Europe’s economy from falling further back in this crucial field.
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Notes
- 1.
Interviews and observations in Shanghai 2017 and 2018.
- 2.
Results from author’s field work in Rongcheng.
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Mayer, M. (2020). China’s Authoritarian Internet and Digital Orientalism. In: Feldner, D. (eds) Redesigning Organizations. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-27957-8_13
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