Telegram among social media platforms used by China's COVID-19 protesters
People who protest against China's COVID-19 measures are using dating apps and social media platforms, including Weibo, Douyin, WeChat, Telegram, Instagram, and Twitter, to organize protests and circumvent censorship. Protests against the measures have taken place in several cities across China over the past few days, and are believed to be the first instances of civil disobedience in the country since President Xi Jinping took power a decade ago.
While state media did not cover the protests and the government has made a very few statements, the Foreign Ministry has said that China is a country with the rule of law and that all the rights and freedoms of its citizens are protected within the law.
Some protesters are using VPN software to access encrypted messaging apps and are adopting a decentralized model to exchange information with close-knit networks of friends. Others are using dating apps hoping to avoid scrutiny and are sharing information about the protests on social media platforms. Police is reportedly checking phones for VPN apps and the Telegram app. According to Sensor Tower, Telegram has seen a significant increase in downloads in China during the protests.
Protesters are adopting decentralized models, similar to those used in the Hong Kong protests of 2019. People have also used social media platforms to share advice on what to do if arrested, such as how to erase data from phones.
Apple has limited the use of its AirDrop file-sharing function on devices in mainland China, restricting the ability of users to send or receive files from non-contacts to a 10-minute window. The move comes weeks after reports that protesters had used the feature to spread messages critical of the Chinese government. The restrictions do not appear to affect iPhones purchased outside China, though iOS beta imposes the restriction globally. The change has received mixed reactions in Chinese media, with some praising it for addressing the problem of nuisance messages on public transport, while others have accused Apple of appeasing the Chinese authorities. The US tech giant has faced similar accusations in the past, including pulling the Quartz app from its store in China during the 2019 Hong Kong protests.
Subscribe to our Chinese channel for more China's local news.
#statistics #censorship #China
People who protest against China's COVID-19 measures are using dating apps and social media platforms, including Weibo, Douyin, WeChat, Telegram, Instagram, and Twitter, to organize protests and circumvent censorship. Protests against the measures have taken place in several cities across China over the past few days, and are believed to be the first instances of civil disobedience in the country since President Xi Jinping took power a decade ago.
While state media did not cover the protests and the government has made a very few statements, the Foreign Ministry has said that China is a country with the rule of law and that all the rights and freedoms of its citizens are protected within the law.
Some protesters are using VPN software to access encrypted messaging apps and are adopting a decentralized model to exchange information with close-knit networks of friends. Others are using dating apps hoping to avoid scrutiny and are sharing information about the protests on social media platforms. Police is reportedly checking phones for VPN apps and the Telegram app. According to Sensor Tower, Telegram has seen a significant increase in downloads in China during the protests.
Protesters are adopting decentralized models, similar to those used in the Hong Kong protests of 2019. People have also used social media platforms to share advice on what to do if arrested, such as how to erase data from phones.
Apple has limited the use of its AirDrop file-sharing function on devices in mainland China, restricting the ability of users to send or receive files from non-contacts to a 10-minute window. The move comes weeks after reports that protesters had used the feature to spread messages critical of the Chinese government. The restrictions do not appear to affect iPhones purchased outside China, though iOS beta imposes the restriction globally. The change has received mixed reactions in Chinese media, with some praising it for addressing the problem of nuisance messages on public transport, while others have accused Apple of appeasing the Chinese authorities. The US tech giant has faced similar accusations in the past, including pulling the Quartz app from its store in China during the 2019 Hong Kong protests.
Subscribe to our Chinese channel for more China's local news.
#statistics #censorship #China
MIUI identifies Telegram as a dangerous app
Xiaomi's new MIUI security feature has identified Telegram as a dangerous app.
The new feature, which was launched in China in February 2022, scans sideloaded apps "for security vulnerabilities and illegal content".
If an app is found to contain malware or other harmful content, MIUI will force users to uninstall it. There are claims that the incident also gets reported to Chinese police, but there's no clear evidence on that.
The scanner claims Telegram contains fraudulent content, and thus must not be used.
Listing Telegram as a dangerous app is probably another sign of the Chinese government's crackdown on free speech and privacy. In recent years, the Chinese government has blocked or limited access to an increasing number of websites and apps, including Facebook, Twitter, and Google.
#xiaomi #censorship
Xiaomi's new MIUI security feature has identified Telegram as a dangerous app.
The new feature, which was launched in China in February 2022, scans sideloaded apps "for security vulnerabilities and illegal content".
If an app is found to contain malware or other harmful content, MIUI will force users to uninstall it. There are claims that the incident also gets reported to Chinese police, but there's no clear evidence on that.
The scanner claims Telegram contains fraudulent content, and thus must not be used.
Listing Telegram as a dangerous app is probably another sign of the Chinese government's crackdown on free speech and privacy. In recent years, the Chinese government has blocked or limited access to an increasing number of websites and apps, including Facebook, Twitter, and Google.
#xiaomi #censorship