THREAD: My university has "engaged a service" from Alibaba Cloud (Aliyun) operating in China to facilitate UWaterloo course content to students in China this term. So what is this and why should instructors (frankly, everyone) be concerned? 1/n

The purported reason for this is to "improve network flows in and out of China" using a VPN to address slow connections within various Chinese provinces. 2/n

But, the university sends out a message today to make instructors "aware of considerations regarding privacy of collaborations and communications" because, shockingly, "the University of Waterloo cannot guarantee privacy of the service." 3/n

So we get some information, such as the fact that Alibaba is a Chinese cloud computing company (gee, no red flags there!), subject to Chinese law and surveillance by authorities (SO WHY THE FUCK ARE WE DOING THIS? - I scream in my head [and on Twitter]) 4/n

They also share Alibaba's terms of service (laughs). Use of the service is option for students. Use of the service is apparently options for students and "some students" can apparently access the university course management software without it. (Some). 5/n

Now, the university statement then does two things: 1) it assures us that "Alibaba Cloud does not hold, or have access to, any University of Waterloo records, including the University userid, student id, name, and email address." (OK, but hardly the only concern here.) 6/n

And then 2) "The University cannot ensure or warrant the security of Alibaba Cloud's product and services." (Of course not. Again, why are we doing this?) 7/n

Most concerning, from instructors' point of view, is that a whole host of sites are not permitted or "enabled" in China, including access to YouTube, Google apps, "some newspapers and magazines".

Imagine what faculty have spent months compiling as resources for remote teaching?

Another laughable line: "but instructors can request to have *other* websites added to the 'permit list.'"

So, if I have this right, @UWaterloo is telling us we can always try to have pedagogical resources *vetted by the People's Republic of China* if we want!

Christ.
9/n

Then, the university has the balls to note that "instructors will want to consider in advance the alternatives they will offer should their course turn out to include students in China..."

Fuck that noise. How is @FAUWaterloo standing for this blatant chill on academic freedom?

Look, to be charitable to @UWaterloo, they're just trying to do two things. 1) Accommodate students stuck in China during the pandemic. 2) Make instructors aware of the tech being used to do so.

BUT, it is some deeply problematic stuff for obvious reasons. 11/n

If I have students in China and I'm teaching POLITICS I'm sure as hell not gonna change content on the basis of what a totalitarian, repressive regime allows people to see. There are limits to accommodation, no matter how much universities depend on $ from international students.

There are also other considerations I don't even have the info to evaluate. What are the connection points between @UWaterloo IT infrastructure and this VPN service? We're all using personal, home computers doing remote teaching - are they at risk if there's a connection?

Certainly the info sheet makes it sound like it's something just the students are signing into in China, but something is facilitating a link between Learn (UWaterloo's course system) and Alibaba. Why should I think it's secure? Hope @FAUWaterloo is looking at this.

These are technical Qs about computer networks & security I and most other faculty are incapable of evaluating. Who @UWaterloo or @FAUWaterloo is going to reassure me that a Chinese internet company isn't accessing Learn, monitoring student discussions? Or accessing my computer?