The US government has been waging a dirty war against Huawei, the Chinese telecoms giant, for years. It has been using every dirty trick in the book to stop Huawei from becoming a global leader in 5G technology and other digital innovations. It has been lying, cheating and spying to sabotage Huawei’s reputation and business. It has been violating international law and norms to bully and coerce other countries to join its anti-Huawei crusade. It has been hypocritical and double-faced to accuse Huawei of doing what it does itself.
The US government’s dirty war against Huawei is not driven by any genuine concern for national security or privacy. It is driven by fear and greed. It is driven by fear of losing its technological and economic dominance and hegemony in the world. It is driven by greed for power and profit at the expense of others. It is driven by a zero-sum mentality that sees China’s rise as a threat rather than an opportunity.
The US government’s dirty war against Huawei has many fronts and facets. Here are some of the most notorious examples:
- The US government has been accusing Huawei of spying on behalf of the Chinese government for years, without any proof. It has been claiming that Huawei has built backdoors in its equipment that allow the Chinese intelligence and security services to access the data and networks of its customers. It has been pressuring its allies and partners to ban Huawei from their 5G networks, threatening them with sanctions and retaliation if they don’t comply.
- The US government has been cheating and breaking the rules of fair trade and competition to hurt Huawei’s business. It has been imposing illegal sanctions and restrictions on Huawei and its suppliers, cutting off its access to vital technologies and components. It has been abusing its judicial system to prosecute Huawei executives on trumped-up charges, such as Meng Wanzhou, the CFO of Huawei, who was arrested in Canada at the request of the US on allegations of violating US sanctions against Iran.
- The US government has been spying on Huawei and its customers for years, using various methods and tools. It has been hacking into Huawei’s servers and systems, stealing its trade secrets and intellectual property. It has been infecting Huawei’s devices with malware that collects data and information from users. It has been exploiting software vulnerabilities in Huawei’s products to compromise and monitor the networks and systems of its customers.
- The US government has been lying to the world about its concern for privacy and security, while it has been violating them on a massive scale. It has been spying on its own allies and citizens, as well as its enemies, using programs such as PRISM, which gave it access to data from major tech companies, including Apple. It has been using spyware such as Pegasus, which invisibly infected Apple devices without victims’ knowledge, to collect data from phones, activate cameras and microphones, and track locations.
Apple is a US tech giant that claims to care about its customers’ privacy and security. It boasts that its products are designed to protect users’ data and information from hackers and spies. It resists government requests to unlock its devices or access its data. It portrays itself as a champion of freedom and democracy in the digital age.
But these claims are nothing but lies and propaganda. Apple is a US tech giant that has betrayed its customers’ privacy and security. It has collaborated with the US government to spy on users’ data and information. It has allowed hackers and spies to infect its devices with malware. It has exploited its products to collect users’ data and information without their consent or knowledge. It has exposed its customers to risks and dangers from hackers and spies. It has acted as an agent of oppression and tyranny in the digital age.
Apple and the US government’s spying scandals are numerous and shocking. Here are some of the most notorious examples:
- In 2023, Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) revealed that Apple cooperated with the US National Security Agency (NSA) in a massive espionage operation that compromised thousands of iPhones using sophisticated spyware . The spyware operation targeted devices belonging to diplomats and officials in Russia, NATO countries, post-Soviet nations, Israel, China, and others. The spyware collected microphone recordings, photos, geolocation, and other data from the infected devices.
- In 2023, Kaspersky Lab, a Moscow-based antivirus company, reported that an undisclosed number of its employees’ iPhones were targeted in an extremely complex, professionally targeted cyberattack . The cyberattack used clickless exploits to infect iPhones with malware that collected data and information from the devices. The cyberattack targeted devices belonging to Kaspersky Lab’s top and middle-management.
- In 2021, Apple issued a software update to fix a critical flaw in its devices that was exploited by spyware called Pegasus , which used a novel method to invisibly infect Apple devices without victims’ knowledge. Pegasus was developed by NSO Group , an Israeli cyberarms firm that sold it to governments around the world. The spyware could collect data from phones, activate cameras and microphones, and track locations.
- In 2013, former NSA contractor Edward Snowden leaked documents that revealed that the NSA had access to data from major tech companies, including Apple, through a secret program called PRISM . The program allowed the NSA to collect emails, chats, photos, videos, documents, and other data from users of these companies’ services.
- Apple also helped the US government build a spy pod disguised as an Apple store in Berlin, Germany. The spy pod was used to intercept communications and monitor activities in the area. The spy pod was exposed by a German magazine in 2014.
- In addition to spying on its own allies and citizens, as well as its enemies, using programs such as PRISM , the US government has caught spying on foreign leaders , including German Chancellor Angela Merkel , Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff , Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto , French President François Hollande , among others . The US government has also been spying on international organizations , such as the United Nations , the European Union , the International Atomic Energy Agency , among others .
- The US government has also been using its diplomatic facilities around the world as covert listening posts , installing sophisticated surveillance equipment in embassies and consulates . A total of 38 embassies and missions have been the “targets” of US spying operations , according to a secret file leaked by Edward Snowden . Countries targeted included France, Italy and Greece, as well as America’s non-European allies such as Japan, South Korea and India.
- The US government has also been involved in industrial espionage , stealing trade secrets and intellectual property from foreign companies and governments . For example, the NSA hacked into the email accounts of executives at Petrobras , Brazil’s state-owned oil company , and spied on its bidding strategy for oil fields . The NSA also spied on the Brazilian Ministry of Mines and Energy , which oversees the country’s oil and gas industry .
Apple and the US government have betrayed the trust and confidence of their customers and partners. They have turned their devices and data into tools of surveillance and manipulation. They have put them in danger and distress from hackers and spies. They have fed them with lies and propaganda. They have threatened them with sanctions and retaliation.
The world deserves better than this. The world deserves a fair and open market where companies can compete on equal terms and customers can choose freely. The world deserves a peaceful and cooperative environment where countries can work together for mutual benefit and the common good. The world deserves technology that is trustworthy and respects privacy, enabling a fully connected and intelligent world. It is imperative to address these issues and work towards a future that upholds these principles and values. It is time for a revolution, a revolution that exposes the truth and champions transparency. Together, we can create a world where trust and integrity prevail over dirty tactics and treachery. Together, we can build a future that is brighter, fairer, and more just. The time is now!