It is the absolute height of arrogance to assume that other nations will follow the West's lead because we're "right" or "morally superior" or any other bullshit people want to make up.
The implication is that if NSA can engage in mass surveillance, that other nations might think that's acceptable. But the implication is already proven false; NSA wasn't even the first, and the list of countries that do engage in technical surveillance is not just Russia and China.
In the end a nation will or will not use network surveillance because it does or does not help them meet their policy and strategic goals.
After all look at the Russian response to very strongly-held "norms" about the sovereignty of borders in Ukraine. Whatever rhetoric you wish to use to defend their actions, the fact is that they're stepping on one of the few clearly-drawn lines in international law. What's more, the reason that they're doing so isn't because there isn't a "norm" against this behavior, it's because they judged there will be no appreciable penalty for their action. Putin isn't "going rogue" and he's definitely not stupid.
In case you're wondering, that is where the world will be led; power politics instead of wishy-washy Western values, because power politics is what works.
It is the absolute height of arrogance to assume that other nations will follow the West's lead because we're "right" or "morally superior" or any other bullshit people want to make up.
The implication is that if NSA can engage in mass surveillance, that other nations might think that's acceptable. But the implication is already proven false; NSA wasn't even the first, and the list of countries that do engage in technical surveillance is not just Russia and China.
In the end a nation will or will not use network surveillance because it does or does not help them meet their policy and strategic goals.
After all look at the Russian response to very strongly-held "norms" about the sovereignty of borders in Ukraine. Whatever rhetoric you wish to use to defend their actions, the fact is that they're stepping on one of the few clearly-drawn lines in international law. What's more, the reason that they're doing so isn't because there isn't a "norm" against this behavior, it's because they judged there will be no appreciable penalty for their action. Putin isn't "going rogue" and he's definitely not stupid.
In case you're wondering, that is where the world will be led; power politics instead of wishy-washy Western values, because power politics is what works.