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Chinese authorities install app on phones of people entering Xinjiang

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Re: Chinese authorities install app on phones of people entering Xinjiang

#21

Post by mapcars »

lixtra wrote: post #15
murbard2 wrote: post #6

The US is forcing its tourists to give away a list of all their social media accounts and all their email accounts. If you're a foreign journalist writing pseudonymously for your safety, you must now share that information with the US government to enter the country. This isn't quite on the level of forcing people to install malware on their phone yet, but give it a couple years.

On the last ESTA form I saw, they were asking not for all, but specific accounts. Apart from fb and Twitter there was also github, but I don’t remember seeing mastedon for example. Did I miss something?

Github? Really?

Re: Chinese authorities install app on phones of people entering Xinjiang

#22

Post by rwmj »

lixtra wrote: post #15
murbard2 wrote: post #6

The US is forcing its tourists to give away a list of all their social media accounts and all their email accounts. If you're a foreign journalist writing pseudonymously for your safety, you must now share that information with the US government to enter the country. This isn't quite on the level of forcing people to install malware on their phone yet, but give it a couple years.

On the last ESTA form I saw, they were asking not for all, but specific accounts. Apart from fb and Twitter there was also github, but I don’t remember seeing mastedon for example. Did I miss something?

The ESTA will be a bit different, but the exact question from the US visa application is:

7. Public-facing social media platforms and identifiers/handles used during the last five years. This includes any websites or applications the applicant has used to create or share content (photos, videos, status updates, etc.) as part of a public profile.

I was advised by my lawyer that this covers Reddit and HN, and Facebook/Instagram (if I had any of those which I don't any more).

The lawyer didn't mention github however, but someone can search my name and find that in 1 click anyway, that's hardly private information.

Re: Chinese authorities install app on phones of people entering Xinjiang

#23

Post by saagarjha »

lixtra wrote: post #15
murbard2 wrote: post #6

The US is forcing its tourists to give away a list of all their social media accounts and all their email accounts. If you're a foreign journalist writing pseudonymously for your safety, you must now share that information with the US government to enter the country. This isn't quite on the level of forcing people to install malware on their phone yet, but give it a couple years.

On the last ESTA form I saw, they were asking not for all, but specific accounts. Apart from fb and Twitter there was also github, but I don’t remember seeing mastedon for example. Did I miss something?

I can see them adding in boutique social networks as people move to them.

Re: Chinese authorities install app on phones of people entering Xinjiang

#24

Post by saagarjha »

folkrav wrote: post #18
murbard2 wrote: post #6

The US is forcing its tourists to give away a list of all their social media accounts and all their email accounts. If you're a foreign journalist writing pseudonymously for your safety, you must now share that information with the US government to enter the country. This isn't quite on the level of forcing people to install malware on their phone yet, but give it a couple years.

They already can force you to give up physical access to your phone, which is basically the worst option.

They can't force you to unlock it, however.

Re: Chinese authorities install app on phones of people entering Xinjiang

#26

Post by eladrin201 »

rwmj wrote: post #13

Before I went to China I bought a burner phone, mainly to install WeChat (which is also a kind of malware and also "required" in China). Basic Android phones are not too expensive these days - I wonder if it will become commonplace to own several and physically separate your life across them? FWIW I got a Huawei phone (Honor 10 Lite) for under 200 EUR, but much cheaper phones than that are available. Edit: To be clea…

I bought a dual sim Mi phone for this purpose as well. It worked out really well. At the border crossing from Hong Kong into mainland china, they didn't seem interested in my devices fortunately. Still will wipe my phone before I use it again, however.

Re: Chinese authorities install app on phones of people entering Xinjiang

#27

Post by mfatica »

rwmj wrote: post #13

Before I went to China I bought a burner phone, mainly to install WeChat (which is also a kind of malware and also "required" in China). Basic Android phones are not too expensive these days - I wonder if it will become commonplace to own several and physically separate your life across them? FWIW I got a Huawei phone (Honor 10 Lite) for under 200 EUR, but much cheaper phones than that are available. Edit: To be clea…

Kind of ironic you bought a burner phone to avoid Chinese surveillance then turn around and buy a Huawei phone

Re: Chinese authorities install app on phones of people entering Xinjiang

#28

Post by pjc50 »

saagarjha wrote: post #24
folkrav wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They already can force you to give up physical access to your phone, which is basically the worst option.

They can't force you to unlock it, however.

Well, they can confiscate it and/or deport you if you don't.

Re: Chinese authorities install app on phones of people entering Xinjiang

#30

Post by Insanity »

mfatica wrote: post #27
rwmj wrote: post #13

Before I went to China I bought a burner phone, mainly to install WeChat (which is also a kind of malware and also "required" in China). Basic Android phones are not too expensive these days - I wonder if it will become commonplace to own several and physically separate your life across them? FWIW I got a Huawei phone (Honor 10 Lite) for under 200 EUR, but much cheaper phones than that are available. Edit: To be clea…

Kind of ironic you bought a burner phone to avoid Chinese surveillance then turn around and buy a Huawei phone

But he bought that phone as a burner phone. So then it doesn't matter that it is Huawei right? Apart from supporting them.
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