Slashdot Mirror
University of California Tells Students Not To Use WeChat, WhatsApp In China (cnn.com)
An anonymous reader quotes a report from CNN: Students and faculty at the University of California (UC) have been warned not to use messaging apps and social media while visiting China, for fear their communications could be used against them by the country's law enforcement agencies. The guidance from one of the biggest school networks in the U.S. is the latest concern to be raised over Western travel to China following the December 1 arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou at the request of U.S. authorities.
The UC guidance also appeared to reference the case of Paul Whelan, a U.S. citizen arrested in Russia last month on suspicion of espionage. "While the use of WhatsApp, WeChat and like messaging apps are legal in China, we have seen in the latest espionage charge of a U.S. citizen in Russia where the use of WhatsApp has been cited in his espionage charges," read an email seen by CNN. "Our concern here is the possibility China could use this condition similarly against western travelers to levy charges or as an excuse to deny departure. We recommend not using these messaging apps in China at this time."
The UC guidance also appeared to reference the case of Paul Whelan, a U.S. citizen arrested in Russia last month on suspicion of espionage. "While the use of WhatsApp, WeChat and like messaging apps are legal in China, we have seen in the latest espionage charge of a U.S. citizen in Russia where the use of WhatsApp has been cited in his espionage charges," read an email seen by CNN. "Our concern here is the possibility China could use this condition similarly against western travelers to levy charges or as an excuse to deny departure. We recommend not using these messaging apps in China at this time."
... warns socialist students that their normal day to day activities in a socialist nation might get them arrested, imprisoned, and re-educated.
Oh, the irony.
Get used to it.
You pretty much have to use WeChat in China. Most others are banned.
But you need to be constantly aware that everything you post might be read and possibly misinterpreted by a paranoid censor who may mark it against you. Unlikely to be arrested, but you may not be let back into the country.
So keep it very clean and simple.
This is exactly the same behaviour that you should also use with western social media. The problem is not nearly as bad, but it still exists. So going to China is probably a good thing in teaching discipline.
Isn't that true everywhere? In fact, doesn't the US currently have a policy where agents are allowed to access everything on any device that you bring into or out of the US without even any reason for suspicion?
The problem is not that the Chinese police may access your device it is that they are looking extremely hard for any, even trivial, violation of their laws so they can arrest you to try and get leverage against the US just like they have been doing with Canada.
as residents of Mexico currently face sentencing based on evidence collected from their use of the FlexiSpy mobile app. And that is even if their travel to the US is involuntary, as Mr. Guzmán told us.
But feel free to use the apps in the USA, the land of the free, where the NSA has either hacked or forced their way into the apps via secret national security letters.
I am a democrat and I agree with OP. Not everyone you disagree with is an evil Trump Nazi, calm down.
The reason why we refuse to discuss anything with people like you is because you canâ(TM)t speak without resorting to insults and slurs.
You say anyone who disagrees with you is an idiot. That is what is closing the door to discussion. When you realize that your worldview is not the only one that exists and can conduct yourself in a professional and respectful manner then we will talk.
Until that time just keep doing what you are doing and so shall we.
^^ Republicans are not only proud of thier ignorance, they believe whatever they want is real. There is no discussion possible when instead of well intentioned rational discourse, one side simply shits themselves and starts throwing it.
Until you die, you will be a cowardly treasonous enemy of the people, GOP.
" all of which have government hooks deeply embedded. " - And yet in China, they're COMMUNIST PARTY OWNED ENTIRELY, and people disappear off the streets forever swept up by said party.
Anyone who goes to China is asking to die in a prison without a trial. It's a criminal cabal, not a country.
We should know by now that China severely monitors dissenters there using WeChat. But WhatsAPP supposedly has end-to-end encryption in which case how are they monitoring that app? Of course we know Facebook owns WhatsApp so have they created a special version for China with a backdoor?
and they issue warnings for going to China?
Did UC administration failed at basic geography or what?
Why would someone even want to go to China? They can arrest you just because they feel like it and you don't have any recourse. Not my idea of fun.
Get back to wiping tables, bitch
If you travel to China or another authoritarian country, then you do so at your own risk. You should not expect us Americans to expend our political or financial resources to rescue you.
If you travel to China or another authoritarian country, then you do so at your own risk. You should not expect us Americans to expend our political or financial resources to rescue you.
The US State Department ought to place China on the list of countries that it advises Americans to avoid while reminding them that if the choose to go anyway, they're on their own and we won't rescue them. Visiting China is a good way to end up as a hostage or worse. Americans with any sense will avoid going there.
Actually, if universities were really smart, they would be telling students and faculty to never visit a communist country.
People disappear in China HOURLY
Citation needed.
Probably I link to a blog with run-on sentences and a high ALL-CAPS to words ratio at realtruthyredbloodedpatriotfreedomnews.blogspot.com titled "You Won't Believe What Happens in Commie China! The Incoming Yellow Peril11".
All I can hear is the sound of propaganda against a rival economy - there seems to be a steady stream of these negative stories aiming to support a narrative that China is somehow worse than all other big countries, and not a good place to do business.
We went to China on holiday in September, cruised down the Yangtze (Chang Jiang) through the 3 gorges visited Chengdu and ChongQing. I can tell you this is a modern, prosperous country with friendly people, a long fascinating history - and a great future ahead.
We used Wechat, etc etc without problems, and I have little doubt that many different countries (and some companies) have full access to everything on our accounts. I do doubt that anyone is combing through the material to find reasons to arrest tourists. If anyone has a list of actual arrests, please share it . . . .
According to Marx's definitions, no nation-state has ever been communist in form. (In fact, the fact there is a formal nation-state contract-indicates a communist society. Socialism is state control of the means of production (weather nominally private or public), whereas communism is a utopia anarchic state where the means of production are freely available to all, and the output taken as needed by anyone. Marx says a socialist revolution is the first step to communism, but the transition to the second state never occurs, and the established party resists attempts to push further.
We had some drug dealers going down based on stuff that was on their whatsapp here in Brazil too. They were arrested, their phones checked and used against them. That's normal.
If a car was in the charges they would also tell people not to get inside vehicles in China?
If you use whatsapp for spying, your phone is caught and the decrypted communications show a crime, it will be used in charges. It doesn't matter much what country you are in.
Weechat you have to use in China, at least to order a meal in restaurants. Everybody knows it is not encrypted and checked, so it is much safer to use (just cause you know not to talk stuff that might get you in trouble).
Perhaps you should read some Marx, Lenin or Hitler; their movements were considered socialism (more extreme versions of the French socialist philosophers). Communism is just a socialist government taken to its end goal, as Marx clearly stated in his communist manifesto, democratic capitalism must fail through the mechanism of democratic socialism in order to bring about communism (dictatorship by the masses/proletariat).
Socialism is a great idea, if you have unlimited funds (or energy) and there is no reason for anyone to ever need something from someone else.
Custom electronics and digital signage for your business: www.evcircuits.com