Hacker News Reader

Comment by 3gg | Hacker News Reader

> At the time, I was a tech worker at ByteDance, where I helped develop tools and platforms for content moderation. In other words, I had helped build the system that censored accounts like mine.

What do you mean "in other words"? Are there other words? How does one get into this situation without realizing what they are really doing? It looks obvious in retrospect, but what is not obvious back then?

View on HN

I don’t think the original source was in anyway unaware of what they were doing. They’re not making any attempt to excuse their behaviour, just describe and explain what it’s like to work at a Chinese tech company.

We shouldn’t admonish those failing to stand-up for our ideals, when they live in a world where those ideals get you at best censored, and at worst disappeared.

You are right, but I was legitimately curious. At the very least, they have the choice of not working in that particular role/company. Further down the article they mention their colleagues had studied journalism and raised some eyebrows, and that he/she wanted to change things from the inside, if only by a little, then realized they were just a powerless cog. I'm going to guess they must be in their late 20s / early 30s now.

Tech jobs are the most well-paid in China, sometimes better than gov jobs that require connections, since tech companies have access to the global excess money flow； if you want to buy a condo and get married in big cities, tech jobs are one of the few chances that plebs can get to have a shot, even then, the typical condo prices is like 20 to 40 times their annual income.

People are paying tens of thousands to get employee referral to get into these big tech companies, and I'd say that the majority of their employee are deeply patriotic and believe what they are doing is necessary and right since they are the winners of the social system.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com