China: iPhones Are a 'National Security Concern'

[senheiser]

China: iPhones Are a 'National Security Concern' | News & Opinion | PCMag.com

• By Stephanie Mlot
• July 11, 2014 11:30am EST

A report by state-run CCTV suggested that anyone with access to location data may gain knowledge of state secrets.
16 shares

• 
• Apple's iPhone has been declared Public Enemy No. 1 in China, where state-run broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) dubbed the handset's location-tracking service a "national security concern."
  
  During Friday's noon broadcast, the CCTV called out Apple's "frequent locations" feature in iOS 7, which allows apps and websites to pull data from cellular, Wi-Fi, and GPS networks to determine the user's approximate whereabouts.
  
  Today's report, according to the Wall Street Journal, suggested that anyone with access to location information "could gain knowledge of the broader situation in China or 'even state secrets.'"
  
  And, as the paper pointed out, while the CCTV's broadcasts do not necessarily reflect the views of China's top leaders, they have proved in the past to be influential.
  
  Apple did not immediately respond to PCMag's request for comment.
  
  This is not the first time the Chinese have been skeptical of U.S. technology. In May, China reportedly banned Windows 8 on government computers. And China has long been concerned about the country's "dependence" on Android.
  
  The news comes shortly after the New York Times this week reported that Chinese hackers accessed U.S. government agency computers that included data about federal employees. According to the paper, the hackers were looking for information about those who had applied for top-level security clearances.
  

 

[Aepsilons]

Why? you can even take selfies...and posted it to facebook quickly.

 

[Jlaw]

China: iPhones Are a 'National Security Concern' | News & Opinion | PCMag.com

• By Stephanie Mlot
• July 11, 2014 11:30am EST

A report by state-run CCTV suggested that anyone with access to location data may gain knowledge of state secrets.
16 shares

• 
• Apple's iPhone has been declared Public Enemy No. 1 in China, where state-run broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) dubbed the handset's location-tracking service a "national security concern."
  
  During Friday's noon broadcast, the CCTV called out Apple's "frequent locations" feature in iOS 7, which allows apps and websites to pull data from cellular, Wi-Fi, and GPS networks to determine the user's approximate whereabouts.
  
  Today's report, according to the Wall Street Journal, suggested that anyone with access to location information "could gain knowledge of the broader situation in China or 'even state secrets.'"
  
  And, as the paper pointed out, while the CCTV's broadcasts do not necessarily reflect the views of China's top leaders, they have proved in the past to be influential.
  
  Apple did not immediately respond to PCMag's request for comment.
  
  This is not the first time the Chinese have been skeptical of U.S. technology. In May, China reportedly banned Windows 8 on government computers. And China has long been concerned about the country's "dependence" on Android.
  
  The news comes shortly after the New York Times this week reported that Chinese hackers accessed U.S. government agency computers that included data about federal employees. According to the paper, the hackers were looking for information about those who had applied for top-level security clearances.

any news on what the CPC is going to do about this
?

 

[cirr]

Mind the backdoors and location tracking features of all American electronic gadgets。

 

[Indus Falcon]

Mind the backdoors and location tracking features of all American electronic gadgets。

Truly worrisome.

 

[Daedalus]

any news on what the CPC is going to do about this
?

This has been already posted and I asked the same question yesterday there. Still waiting for the answer.

 

[cirr]

Countries like Japan and Vietnam needn't worry though，for they have no secrets to hide from the Americans。

They are totally and utterly naked before the prying eyes of the US.

 

[Daedalus]

Mind the backdoors and location tracking features of all American electronic gadgets。

They spy on their own citizens, I wont be surprised if there really are backdoors embedded in the IOS algorithm.

 

[Beidou2020]

Time to ban Yankee tech companies.

 

[Daedalus]

Time to ban Yankee tech companies.

What makes you think other countries wont follow the same with regards to Huawei and ZTE?

 

[Beidou2020]

What makes you think other countries wont follow the same with regards to Huawei and ZTE?

Let them, we have our own markets. Our tech companies are already banned in US anyway so its time to retaliate against the fascist pariah state. Most countries welcome our tech companies.

 

[qwerrty]

US government employees are not allowed to use iphone or ipad. isn't that tell you something?

 

[Cossack25A1]

We have nothing to worry about America spying on us. What's there to spy on us in the first place? Unless they see coconuts as a national threat.

 

[Daedalus]

BBC News - Apple hits back at China over iPhone privacy claims

 

[Jlaw]

BBC News - Apple hits back at China over iPhone privacy claims

Apple may say they never track users, but that is what they claim.

I'm with the Chinese broadcaster on this one.