How China's Propaganda and Surveillance Systems Really Operate

"A trove of internal documents leaked from a little-known Chinese company has pulled back the curtain on how digital censorship tools are being marketed and exported globally. Geedge Networks sells what amounts to a commercialized "Great Firewall" to at least four countries, including Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Ethiopia, and Myanmar. The groundbreaking leak shows in granular detail the capabilities this company has to monitor, intercept, and hack internet traffic. Researchers who examined the files described it as "digital authoritarianism as a service.""

"While people often look at China's Great Firewall as a single, all-powerful government system unique to China, the actual process of developing and maintaining it works the same way as surveillance technology in the West. Geedge collaborates with academic institutions on research and development, adapts its business strategy to fit different clients' needs, and even repurposes leftover infrastructure from its competitors."

"On Monday, researchers at Vanderbilt University made public a 399-page document from GoLaxy, a Chinese company that uses AI to analyze social media and generate propaganda materials. The leaked documents, which include internal pitch decks, business goals, and meeting notes, may have come from a disgruntled former employee-the last two pages accuse GoLaxy of mistreating workers by underpaying them and mandating long hours."

Geedge Networks sells a commercialized 'Great Firewall' to at least Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Ethiopia, and Myanmar, offering capabilities to monitor, intercept, and hack internet traffic. Internal documents reveal granular technical features enabling traffic surveillance, interception, and offensive operations. The company collaborates with academic institutions on research and development, customizes business strategies for different clients, and repurposes competitor infrastructure, notably replacing Canadian firm Sandvine's gear in Pakistan. A separate 399-page GoLaxy dossier details AI-driven social media analysis and propaganda generation, including internal pitch decks, business goals, and meeting notes. The GoLaxy files allege worker mistreatment and were accessible on the open internet before discovery.

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