Well, my weekend is ruined (racism)

BaronSmoggie

Well-known member
So, as part of my job, I have to evaluate software and services used by my company around the world. We had a request last week about integrating a Chinese software product with our cloud authentication platform. I pushed back saying we needed a whole load more information about data retention etc, before we could consider it and that I wasn't considering any Chinese software for use right now due to privacy concerns.

Well, that one sentence caused a massive stink and emails coming back to me saying, well what about Edward Snowden, NSA, PRISM etc, as if I am blind to what goes on in the rest of the world. Whataboutism is rife apparently. I was accused of picking on Chinese people and that I wouldn't have done it to a Westerner.

I've spent the last 3 hours composing a defence focusing on the technical aspects, the lack of transparency in the policies. I even gave a direct comparison to a US based product showing how we had the same concerns with that software and wouldn't use that either. I stayed away from the whole, picking on me because I'm Chinese stuff.

I'm totally flabbergasted if I'm honest, because I really don't care if the developer was Chinese, American or a Smurf, it was purely a technical decision. First time in 9 years of working here I've had to defend myself like this. Have a bit of a bad feeling in my gut and now have to wait it out over the weekend to see what the response is going to be.
 
Do as you’ve done, keep it focused on the technical reasons, offer up similar as you’ve done re the western stuff and you’ve done nowt wrong. (Not that you’d done anything wrong in the first place - the world is losing its objectivity and sanity).

forget it and enjoy your weekend mate.
 
You've done nothing wrong. It is your job to make an honest evaluation on behalf of your company.

Paranoia on behalf of the Chinese who believe everyone in Britain is against them because of the situation in Hong Kong (perhaps).
 
Nothing wrong at all with what you have done. I’m sure who is overlooking the situation will see that. Don’t worry about it mate I’m sure it will be ok, how people can look and that and see racist undertones is beyond me. The mind boggles at times, no wonder so many people suffer with their mental health.
 
So where the software came from was immaterial?!?

No, not really. It was coming from our Chinese sales teams who were wanting to use a Chinese personal chat app in an Enterprise environment. We had already discounted 3 equivalent US/EU apps for the same concerns.

Thanks to all for the responses, will try and not think about it, but its sitting heavy in my gut and I know I'll be worrying about it over the weekend.
 
If you don’t receive full unequivocal support from the management above you (I’m sure you will as you’ve just done your job and done nothing wrong) I’d be considering taking your skills elsewhere when the dust settles on the current coronavirus situation.

have a great weekend and try not to question yourself about it.
 
Right choice dude - I would have done the same. I've sort of had the same thing in a previous role where they tried to offshore services to a company who could not guarantee that the data would stay within the UK as it was a cloud service. As this was a .Gov.UK service I discounted it immediately on that alone...cue their outcry and then dismissal further up the chain as the stipulation was known before submission - they were trying it on bully boy fashion.
 
You’ll be fine. 👍

The feeling in your gut doesn’t mean anything bad will happen. Real racists won’t get that feeling, it just shows that you care about how it’s been perceived and that you didn’t want it to come across that way.

I’ve had all sorts of issues with the Patriot Act and no one has ever accused me of racism towards Americans. It’s exactly the same scenario.
 
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