Xiaomi is a private company. They can censor whatever they like. If you don't like it you can create your own multi-billion dollar phone company and spend tens of billions on R&D to manufacture your own cutting-edge flagship phone.
That's a ridiculous take. By that argument all private companies are free to treat their consumers any way they like. Suggesting critical consumers "build their own" is childish and pure fantasy.
There's a reason consumer protection laws exist. The fact that governments haven't caught up to Big Tech doesn't mean companies are free from blame. Particularly ones with direct ties to one of the most oppressive regimes on the planet.
Xiaomi doesn't censor because of a business decision. It censors because it's mandated by the CCP and their relentless efforts of silencing speech that makes China look bad. It's the government equivalent of a sensitive bully that everyone tip toes around because of political and financial reasons. Leaky analogy, but this entire situation is indescribably dumb.
No, it isn't. It's genuine humor; an ironic absurdity derived from a kernel of truth. Best comment of the thread actually; a welcome exception to all of the whataboutery, hair splitting and reading comprehension mishaps.
Though I'd argue this is not the place for such comments. It only further perpetuates the lowbrow "discussion" on a very sensitive topic that, if nowhere else, this forum should be above of.
From the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union:
Article 11
Freedom of expression and information
1. Everyone has the right to freedom of expression. This right shall include freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart information and ideas without interference by public authority and regardless of frontiers.
And now look what that means in reality. Virtually every single European country forbids certain political speech (mostly this is about fascism or communism, but Hungary has started to use this to surpress LBGT expression). And that's just the start, once you dig deeper you will find all kinds of laws chipping away on that "fundamental right".
