Hong Kong protestors using Bridgefy's Bluetooth-based mesh network messaging app • Hacker News Board

Re: Hong Kong protestors using Bridgefy's Bluetooth-based mesh network messaging app

#61

Post by reaperducer » Tue, Sep 03, 2019, 2:31 AM UTC

hkai wrote: post #51

To be fair, China doesn't block access to any websites in Hong Kong. In a sense, it's a freer internet than in the US (zero sites blocked, plus piracy is allowed).

At this moment. There was a piece posted to HN last week that Hong Kong's ISPs have been asked, or fear being asked, to implement a firewall similar to China's.

Hong Kong's ISP association published a public letter of protest about it.

Edit: Found it - https://www.hkispa.org.hk/139-urgent-statement-of-hkispa-on-...

Re: Hong Kong protestors using Bridgefy's Bluetooth-based mesh network messaging app

#62

Post by aussieguy1234 » Tue, Sep 03, 2019, 2:32 AM UTC

jorgeribs wrote: post #46

Hi everybody, I'm Jorge, founder of Bridgefy. Happy to answer any questions!

Are you aware that by doing SMS verification (optional or not) you're making your servers a very juicy target for hackers working for Chinese intelligence? They could probably assume that anyone in Hong Kong with the app is a protester

Re: Hong Kong protestors using Bridgefy's Bluetooth-based mesh network messaging app

#63

Post by [deleted] » Tue, Sep 03, 2019, 2:35 AM UTC

reaperducer wrote: post #61

hkai wrote: post #51

To be fair, China doesn't block access to any websites in Hong Kong. In a sense, it's a freer internet than in the US (zero sites blocked, plus piracy is allowed).

At this moment. There was a piece posted to HN last week that Hong Kong's ISPs have been asked, or fear being asked, to implement a firewall similar to China's. Hong Kong's ISP association published a public letter of protest about it. Edit: Found it - https://www.hkispa.org.hk/139-urgent-statement-of-hkispa-on-...

[deleted]

Re: Hong Kong protestors using Bridgefy's Bluetooth-based mesh network messaging app

#64

Post by a012 » Tue, Sep 03, 2019, 2:37 AM UTC

throwaway1997 wrote: post #45

klingonopera wrote: post #5

If worst comes to worst, I hope there's satellite connectivity to HK. Or landlines not under Chinese jurisdiction. EDIT: To clarify, I'm concerned about what could happen if China cuts HK off from the Internet.

China can't cut HK off from the internet. Almost all Chinese internet traffic is routed through Hong Kong, not the other way around.

They still can cut off the consumers ISP and leave commercial untouched.

Re: Hong Kong protestors using Bridgefy's Bluetooth-based mesh network messaging app

#65

Post by SpliffnCola » Tue, Sep 03, 2019, 2:39 AM UTC

rcach001 wrote: post #52

jorgeribs wrote: post #46

Hi everybody, I'm Jorge, founder of Bridgefy. Happy to answer any questions!

Hi Jorge, fyi I just browsed for Bridgefy on google and clicked on the first link that showed up and some random page turned up. It looked like it was hacked or something.

Confirmed here as well.

Re: Hong Kong protestors using Bridgefy's Bluetooth-based mesh network messaging app

#66

Post by discordance » Tue, Sep 03, 2019, 2:40 AM UTC

i_am_proteus wrote: post #39

mehhh wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Charging businesses to use it would be a path to monetization, hence WhatsApp's partnership with Twilio.

Not a bad point, but what business prefers a mesh to a centralized messaging system?

Businesses selling gas masks, helmets and med-kits?

Re: Hong Kong protestors using Bridgefy's Bluetooth-based mesh network messaging app

#67

Post by rcw4256 » Tue, Sep 03, 2019, 2:45 AM UTC

x62Bh7948f wrote: post #57

jorgeribs wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hi! You can skip the SMS verification step, which is how thousands of people have used it after earthquakes and hurricanes :) we also have an SDK so that developer can create their own app and make it work however they want.

how do you skip verification? after hitting the cancel button the start screen shows again

Apparently you need to fail verification a few times before it'll present the option. I kept giving it bogus phone numbers and eventually a "skip" button appeared.

Re: Hong Kong protestors using Bridgefy's Bluetooth-based mesh network messaging app

#68

Post by FridgeSeal » Tue, Sep 03, 2019, 2:45 AM UTC

discordance wrote: post #66

i_am_proteus wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not a bad point, but what business prefers a mesh to a centralized messaging system?

Businesses selling gas masks, helmets and med-kits?

Cyberpunk future, here we come!

Re: Hong Kong protestors using Bridgefy's Bluetooth-based mesh network messaging app

#69

Post by sb057 » Tue, Sep 03, 2019, 2:46 AM UTC

x62Bh7948f wrote: post #57

jorgeribs wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hi! You can skip the SMS verification step, which is how thousands of people have used it after earthquakes and hurricanes :) we also have an SDK so that developer can create their own app and make it work however they want.

how do you skip verification? after hitting the cancel button the start screen shows again

Hit the verify button without any number and it'll show up at the bottom.

Re: Hong Kong protestors using Bridgefy's Bluetooth-based mesh network messaging app

#70

Post by petre » Tue, Sep 03, 2019, 2:53 AM UTC

Answerawake wrote: post #56

jorgeribs wrote: post #46

Hi everybody, I'm Jorge, founder of Bridgefy. Happy to answer any questions!

Hi Jorge, Pardon my ignorance but lets say that someone runs a typical cell phone jammer in the area, would that block the Bluetooth signal from working or are RF wavelengths not able to be jammed?

They'd have to specifically jam BT or all the public 2.4 Ghz band which includes WiFi and other protocols. Given that a BT jammer can be bought online for less than 100$, it's trivial to block this app over several tens of meters.