Hello everyone, welcome to my YouTube channel. This is my first video, and I'm very happy to meet you all. I come from China, and looking back, time has passed so quickly. I've been in France for almost 20 years. Sometimes, when I chat with friends, I'm surprised at how little the French know about China. What's even more alarming is that the French media follows the narrative of the Chinese official media. This is why I decided to create a YouTube channel to talk to my French friends about the China I know. Since my parents and friends are still in China, and to avoid unnecessary impact on their lives, I've decided not to appear in person for now. This is how I fulfill my long-standing wish.
My first episode is about "Digital Surveillance in China.",
Digital Surveillance:
In China, using the official App Store is mandatory. Apple's App Store is China-specific, and all data is stored there. Google's App Store is simply inaccessible in China. If someone from another country enters China, they face a major issue: all their apps become unusable, including maps, calls, WhatsApp, YouTube, Instagram, Uber, and even ChatGPT.
As a network engineer, I haven't worked in Chinese social media companies, but based on my observations and other sources, almost all apps in China incorporate surveillance.
All Chinese people use a social app called WeChat. Its use is almost unavoidable, whether you're a student, parent, employee, or businessman. WeChat is used for homework, communication with teachers, parent communication, corporate communication, and all business activities. Even buying train tickets, using the subway, online shopping, participating in forums, and opening a bank account require the use of WeChat.
Registration on WeChat is strictly regulated. You need to provide an ID number, a phone number, and a bank account. WeChat can also be used as a payment terminal for small merchants.
Communications on WeChat are strictly monitored. I've conducted tests, and some expressions, such as "89" or "64," are very sensitive. These numbers refer to the events of June 4, 1989, when the Chinese government ordered tanks to enter Tiananmen Square to suppress the student demonstration, resulting in many casualties (over 3000 students died).
Additionally, as a user abroad, I can post certain content on WeChat that my friends abroad can see, but my friends in China cannot. This applies to posts including text, images, and voice messages, indicating active content censorship.
When I communicate with friends in China via video calls on WeChat, sometimes the communication is mysteriously interrupted and cannot be restored. However, if I use a friend's phone, communication proceeds without issues, suggesting real-time video calls are also subject to surveillance.
It's not just apps that are monitored, as it is now illegal to use Android phones with the original operating system in China. The use of Huawei's networking kits or Huawei's HarmonyOS is mandatory, involving system-level surveillance.
Speech Network:
All forums and social media in China require real-name registration, meaning you have to use an ID card to register. Since all foreign social media is banned in China, this strictly limits online freedom of expression. It often happens that students or young individuals are arrested due to inappropriate remarks made online. One of my friends was questioned by the police because he created a discussion group on WeChat with other friends, where they discussed sensitive topics. The group was dissolved, and my friend was taken to the police station and received a warning not to discuss similar topics with his friends.
Personal Credit System:
Currently, the Chinese government is implementing a personal credit system. Non-repayment of loans, participation in public events, or expressing inappropriate opinions online can lead to a decrease in your personal credit score. This can then result in a series of problems, including the inability to take public transportation, reduced job opportunities, or difficulties enrolling your children in school.
Internet Blocking:
The use of VPNs is illegal in China, and a few days ago, a provincial television channel broadcast a video warning that using VPNs could lead to legal action.
In the last video, i talked about the digital suiveillance, in this episode, i wanna to talk about the real life Daily Surveillance:
Subway Part:
All subway stations are subject to security checks, with levels equivalent to international airport checks. It is necessary to check for metallic objects, baggage is inspected using X-ray machines to detect explosives, chemicals, and objects such as knives, including Swiss knives, which are not allowed on the subway. Subway turnstiles are also equipped with facial recognition devices.
Train:
Train security checks are more complex than those of the subway, including not only everything mentioned before, including X-ray machines, metal inspections, facial recognition, but also other elements:
To enter the railway station, it is mandatory to present an ID, as electronic ID cards are now used in China. In addition to the necessary security checks, you also need to scan your ID and confirm that the ID used to purchase the ticket is the same as the one used to enter, and that a valid ticket is present.
People without tickets are not allowed to enter the railway station, as the system will detect the absence of the ticket corresponding to your ID.
When entering from the waiting hall, you also need to go through a security turnstile, facial scanning, and ID verification, in addition to manual checking.
It is important to note that the railway stations I mention are different from railway stations in Europe. Railway stations in China usually have a massive waiting hall, and after getting off the subway, you usually cannot enter the railway station directly. You must first pass through all security checks when exiting the subway station, cross the vast square in front of the railway station, enter the railway station, and once inside the railway station, you cannot directly access the platform, but you must pass through a massive waiting hall. When I say massive, the width of the railway station square is generally over 200 meters, and the railway station waiting hall usually also exceeds 200 meters.
For me, these security checks are not only tedious but also very time-consuming. There is absolutely no privacy; the government can terminate your right to use these transportation facilities for any reason, just by adding a flag to your identity, such as a socially sensitive person or an untrustworthy person, and you will no longer be able to take any public transportation.
The surveillance of china
If you are in a Car:
At all intersections, whether there are traffic lights or not, there are cameras. Their operation differs significantly from most areas in Europe. They do not capture traffic violations, such as speeding or running a red light, but photograph every passing vehicle, recording the license plate number and the driver's facial features, and then perform facial recognition.
Private cars are subject to many restrictions; for example, Tesla is prohibited from entering the city center or sensitive areas, and this sensitive area may differ from what most Europeans imagine; it can be the entire half of the city.
Entrances and exits of parking lots are also equipped with facial recognition devices.
Chinese cities are divided into grids, each neighborhood is surrounded by barbed wire, walls, or canals. In general, each entrance and exit of a neighborhood has only one or two, with a dedicated guard. Anyone entering or leaving a neighborhood must also pass through a facial recognition device, with a special pass for the neighborhood. If a non-residential vehicle enters or exits, an ID must also be provided.
University campuses operate in the same way, but access controls at campus entrances and exits are stricter.
Pedestrian: In China, in many places, pedestrians are prohibited from standing still, for example, in the streets around Tiananmen Square, there is practically an undercover police officer every 20 meters. If you stop, someone will immediately ask you to leave. The same applies to embassy areas.
评论
发表评论