[24-856] Cisco Systems v. Doe I

[24-856] Cisco Systems v. Doe I

From Supreme Court Oral Arguments by scotusstats.com

April 28, 2026 · 1h 57m · Season 2025

About this episode

This episode discusses the legal case Cisco Systems, Inc. v. Doe I, focusing on the company's alleged involvement in human rights abuses in China.

Cisco Systems, Inc. v. Doe I Justia · Docket · oyez.org Petitioner: Cisco Systems, Inc. Respondent: Doe I. Facts of the case (from oyez.org) Beginning in the 1990s, the Chinese Communist Party initiated a campaign of persecution—referred to as “douzheng”—against practitioners of Falun Gong, a spiritual discipline derived from Buddhism that grew rapidly in popularity across China. In 1999, the Party formally sought to eliminate Falun Gong through detention, forced conversion, and torture, designating it an illegal organization. To support these efforts, the Chinese authorities envisioned a nationwide surveillance system named the “Golden Shield,” designed to monitor online activity, identify practitioners, and facilitate their apprehension. Because China lacked the necessary technological infrastructure, Chinese officials sought help from Western firms. Cisco Systems, Inc., a U.S.-based tech company, allegedly responded with enthusiasm: from its headquarters in San Jose, California, Cisco pursued contracts, developed Golden Shield software and hardware, and provided training and support to Chinese security officers. Plaintiffs alleged that without Cisco’s…

Topics covered

  • legal case
  • technology
  • human rights
  • surveillance
  • China
  • politics

Keywords

  • Cisco Systems
  • Falun Gong
  • Chinese Communist Party
  • surveillance
  • human rights
  • legal case

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Cisco Systems, Inc., Chinese Communist Party, Falun Gong

Places: China, California

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