The thing is though that in these videos all the people are commenting on how much less crowded their cities are, but no one wonders about where Tom went, or what happened to Brenda, or what happened to the guy who worked at the pizza joint.
I would think that if a lot of people disappeared in the city where I work I’d start wondering why I never see so many specific acquaintances anymore.
Other countries do not have the social connections Americans have. We are still the friendliest people worldwide
People in China in general don’t have extended families. One child policy means nobody has aunts and uncles. CCP constant monitoring of ordinary people living ordinary lives means you learn not to trust and befriend. With the data they have, it would be easy to pick out people who would not be missed.
Another possible angle is the racial bio-weapon concept. During pandemic times, I heard it floated that China engineered Covid to attack people of European heritage. And I always thought that to be fringe and unlikely. But this information sort of supports the opposite concept, that Covid was developed to attack Chinese ethnic groups, and I guess the CIA fooled them into doing it to themselves. Also, pretty fringe but might make a fun novel.