In China, you can’t exist without a smartphone, because for all existential things you have to do (paying bills, buying tickets etc.) , you are forced to use the almighty wechat app. Smartphones are a tool to manipulate and to spy on the population. It is a tool utilized by the ruling class, to control the masses. I hate the future and I hate “progress”.
The average Chinese person has no concept of protecting their personal privacy from the government. They accept the government to invade their privacy (being brainwashed by propaganda since birth).
Or too afraid to speak up about issues
They’ll speak up about a bunch of issues when it’s on an individual level - but organising is risky. Funnily enough Americans and other westerners are individualistic even without an all powerful state leaning over them.