[qvrjuec]

> who lack critical thinking skills to such an extent that we basically shouldn’t even have the option to make up our own opinions in response to feed recommendations

I think it's easy to be insulted by this perspective if you spend too much of your time surrounded by people who fall more than one standard deviation to the right on the intelligence bell curve. 84% of people are to the left of that, and can vote.

> Ultimately, who is the one most overtly putting their thumb on the scale here

The expression "putting their thumb on the scale" means influencing subtly and deceitfully, so China. I chose this expression intentionally.

> Do you really actually have the opinion that China is the most censorious here

Nowhere did I mention censorship. Its not merely about suppressing perspectives, it's about influencing them. Hong Kong is too obvious-- what about amplifying anti-AI sentiment to increase regulation and hobble AI progress in the US, giving a decisive advantage to China in the AI arms race? Amplifying anti-nuclear energy sentiment, to erode US energy security and create economic advantages for the Chinese solar industry?

I do agree w.r.t. the messiness of precedent, though.