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Former Google chief predicts the Internet will split by 2028: A Chinese Web and an American one


steven36

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Eric Schmidt, who has been the CEO of Google and executive chairman of its parent company, Alphabet, predicts that within the next decade there will be two distinct internets: one led by the U.S. and the other by China.

 

https://s7d3.turboimg.net/sp/cc6e680954b43ce109c377d7c9b66ddd/8893661.jpeg

 

Village Global VC. The firm enlists tech luminaries — including Schmidt, Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates and Diane Green — as limited partners, then invests their money into early-stage tech ventures.

 

At the event, economist Tyler Cowen asked, “What are the chances that the internet fragments over the years?” Schmidt said:

Quote

 

“I think the most likely scenario now is not a splintering, but rather a bifurcation into a Chinese-led internet and a non-Chinese internet led by America.

 

If you look at China, and I was just there, the scale of the companies that are being built, the services being built, the wealth that is being created is phenomenal. Chinese Internet is a greater percentage of the GDP of China, which is a big number, than the same percentage of the US, which is also a big number.

 

If you think of China as like ‘Oh yeah, they’re good with the Internet,’ you’re missing the point. Globalization means that they get to play too. I think you’re going to see fantastic leadership in products and services from China. There’s a real danger that along with those products and services comes a different leadership regime from government, with censorship, controls, etc.

 

Look at the way BRI works – their Belt and Road Initiative, which involves 60-ish countries – it’s perfectly possible those countries will begin to take on the infrastructure that China has with some loss of freedom.”

 

BRI is an economic development strategy of the Chinese government that aims to connect and facilitate all kinds of trade, including digital trade, between China and countries in Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia.

 

Schmidt’s predictions come at a time when his successor at Google, CEO Sundar Pichai, has stirred up controversy around the company’s strategy in China.

 

Reportedly, Google has been developing “Project Dragonfly,” a censored version of its search engine that could appease authorities in China. The project allegedly included a means to suppress some search results, booting them off the first page, and a means to fully block results for sensitive queries, for example, around “peaceful protests.”

 

In recent weeks, hundreds of Google employees lobbied Pichai for more transparency and signed a letter saying that the reported plans raised “urgent moral and ethical issues.”

 

Pichai has said that Google has been “very open about our desire to do more in China,” and that the team “has been in an exploration stage for quite a while now,” and considering “many options,” but is nowhere near launching in China.

 

In a separate discussion last night between Schmidt and several start-up founders, he lauded Chinese tech products, services and adoption, especially in mobile payments. He noted that Starbucks in China don’t feature a register. Customers order ahead online and pay with their phones before picking up their lattes.

 

A business development leader with Facebook, Ime Archebong, asked Schmidt if large tech companies are doing enough good in the world.

 

Schmidt replied: “The judge of this is others, not us. Self-referential conversations about ‘Do I feel good about what I’m doing?’ are not very helpful. The judge is outside.”

 

At several points in the private discussion, Schmidt urged entrepreneurs to build products and services that are not merely addictive, but valuable. He also said not enough companies “measure the right things.” Too many focus on short-term revenue growth and satisfying shareholders, rather than what’s best for their users, society and the long-term health of their companies.

 

Schmidt was the CEO of Google from 2001, when he took over from co-founder Larry Page, through 2011, when Page reclaimed the reins. He remained as executive chairman of Google and then Alphabet until earlier this year.

 

 

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I could see an even greater split, with the US creating an internet wall that would prevent anyone outside the US being able to connect with any site inside the border. This would solve most problems associated with hacking and piracy and make it much easier to find the suspects since they would have to be physically in the US.

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1 hour ago, straycat19 said:

I could see an even greater split, with the US creating an internet wall that would prevent anyone outside the US being able to connect with any site inside the border. This would solve most problems associated with hacking and piracy and make it much easier to find the suspects since they would have to be physically in the US.

That would make us just like China is today with a great firewall  ,  I doubt that ever happens. It could if things ever got really bad . but if most of the hackers is behind Chinas  Firewall it want be needed  for us too build a Firewall. The way it is  in the Free World if you want to block some country you can some in the USA  block the  whole EU , that's up too the webmaster .  If the internet ever splits it want be nothing the USA done  it will be because  some countries want to use China's  infrastructure instead of the USA's..  China already has a Firewall to block the USA's  and it's Allies internet in place. .. 

 

As far as the internet changing much in the USA it want never happen we take one step forward the next party gets elected and we take two steps back its making laws and reversing them that's democracy ..When China makes laws it stays the law time is on there side.

 

If  we was going  to too become all 1984 like you say we may as well join them  , You sound like George Orwell  or something .. In China it already is 1984 ...I'm glad we don't have people like you in charge making laws  you sound like law enforcement  you want to turn the USA into a Police State , you go up in congress talking about blocking the internet they would eat you alive.You would be fired or impeached. They can't impose Marshal Law in the USA unless there is a emergency or a war  on US soil and they have to left after it's over.

 

There's a big difference than censorship  and the law not allowing it and self censorship because you dislike the other country's infrastructure.

 

The beauty of a world without privacy is what you preach witch was a SIFI  novel just like 1984 was. :tooth:

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19 hours ago, steven36 said:

Eric Schmidt... predicts that within the next decade there will be two distinct internets: one led by the U.S. and the other by China.

 

I'm afraid he is failing short. As it looks, on rather short term Internet will be converted to some kind in intranet, local, for each country, limited for local links served by local ISPs and "some" selected international links as approved by censorship of each local government. Unless some "international pirate ISP" decides to provide service in some similar way as pirate radio stations did transmisions in the UK to get over the service monopoly of the state owned radio (BBC). But could this be possible? Would there be anyone interested in such venture?

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50 minutes ago, luisam said:

 

I'm afraid he is failing short. As it looks, on rather short term Internet will be converted to some kind in intranet, local, for each country, limited for local links served by local ISPs and "some" selected international links as approved by censorship of each local government. Unless some "international pirate ISP" decides to provide service in some similar way as pirate radio stations did transmisions in the UK to get over the service monopoly of the state owned radio (BBC). But could this be possible? Would there be anyone interested in such venture?

That's the way it looks right now, but there is no money to be made trading with just yourself .. You have to have some kind of global infrastructure to prosper.. Even the UK witch runs the BBC is going to need a  global infrastructure more than ever when they pull out from the EU .  When the USA quits trading with others they not going too wait very long tell they get help from somewhere else ..They  wont have a choice .  that's what it looks like going to happen in the long term if things don't change.

 

If Google and Facebook , Amazon , etc  really wanted too they could  change the EU mind about  things, all they have too do is shut them off for awhile from  there sites. But many other countries block Google and Facebook  sites and don't depend on them, they  would be more  out too use China's internet .

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