Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Baidu IME secretly transmitting Japanese users’ data

ajw.asahi.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

11–19 of 19 posts

Re: Baidu IME secretly transmitting Japanese users’ data

#11

Post by throwaway_yy2Di »

kohsuke wrote: post #9
xdd wrote: post #8

The same as Google IME, except google has a evil virus-like secret upgrade popup.

Nope. See their FAQ https://support.google.com/ime/japanese/answer/166771?hl=ja which states otherwise.

Now I'm having trouble logging in to GMail: that link set a cookie saving my language as Japanese! D:

edit: Found the "language" option on Google sign-in -- it's the scroller in the bottom right labelled "日本語". There's a small blue logo next to it that looks like the UN flag. Hope this helped someone.

edit #2: It's also in the URL, replace /intl/jp/ with /intl/en/ (for English)

Re: Baidu IME secretly transmitting Japanese users’ data

#13

Post by Brakenshire »

keda wrote: post #6

AFAIK, Google IME also sends user phases to their index of popular words, but they do allow you to turn it off.

Baidu has a switch which apparently allows users to stop sending data, but it doesn't do anything:

> Although this automatic data transmitting function is switched off in the default setting, Sugiura found that Baidu IME secretly sends users’ information even when the function is turned off.

Re: Baidu IME secretly transmitting Japanese users’ data

#14

Post by MBCook »

throwaway_yy2Di wrote: post #11
kohsuke wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nope. See their FAQ https://support.google.com/ime/japanese/answer/166771?hl=ja which states otherwise.

Now I'm having trouble logging in to GMail: that link set a cookie saving my language as Japanese! D: edit: Found the "language" option on Google sign-in -- it's the scroller in the bottom right labelled "日本語". There's a small blue logo next to it that looks like the UN flag. Hope this helped someone. edit #2: It's also in the URL, replace /intl/jp/ with /intl/en/ (for English)

日本語 means "Japanese" (as a language), if you ever get into such a situation again.

Re: Baidu IME secretly transmitting Japanese users’ data

#16

Post by jimeuxx »

hamxiaoz wrote: post #5
w1ntermute wrote: post #2

Does anyone actually use the Baidu IME? Most people I know just use the IME built into the OS. Simeji, on the other hand, is a bigger concern - it's a very popular Japanese keyboard for Android.

A lot of Chinese use Sogou IME or Baidu/Google. The built-in ones are not as good as 3rd party IMEs. I guess it's the same for Japanese.

The Windows Japanese IME is awful. I never gave OS X's one a chance though, since I've used Google's ever since I found it.

Re: Baidu IME secretly transmitting Japanese users’ data

#17

Post by rangibaby »

throwaway_yy2Di wrote: post #11
kohsuke wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nope. See their FAQ https://support.google.com/ime/japanese/answer/166771?hl=ja which states otherwise.

Now I'm having trouble logging in to GMail: that link set a cookie saving my language as Japanese! D: edit: Found the "language" option on Google sign-in -- it's the scroller in the bottom right labelled "日本語". There's a small blue logo next to it that looks like the UN flag. Hope this helped someone. edit #2: It's also in the URL, replace /intl/jp/ with /intl/en/ (for English)

Go to google.com/ncr to reset your Google to English :-)

Re: Baidu IME secretly transmitting Japanese users’ data

#18

Post by ziyan »

Baidu has denied such allegation, claiming that:

1. It's a cloud based IME. Some data is uploaded to improve user experience.

2. Data upload is encrypted therefore no privacy concerns.

3. Servers are located in Japan and complies with local regulations.

http://tech.qq.com/a/20131226/014894.htm (Don't shoot the messenger.)

Re: Baidu IME secretly transmitting Japanese users’ data

#19

Post by moondowner »

logicchains wrote: post #12

I lived in China for a couple of years, and it was generally accepted among the technologically savvy people I knew that most large web/software companies (Baidu, Tencent, Sina) spied on their users for the Chinese government.

Related: The Transparent Chinese http://cn.nytimes.com/opinion/20131120/c20murong/en-us/
Post reply on HN