Hotels and spyware

[IllinoisDave]

Do you think this is fair? Are the foreign-owned hotels right to be outraged?

 

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080729/ap_on_go_co/china_spying

[Randy W]

I'm sure that his constituents are appropriately impressed in this election year.

 

This is just business as normal for the Chinese government - it's unclear why the hotels would be involved.

 

If you want a secure connection, use a secure site (https:) (transmissions are encrypted), a VPN connection (connects to a secure server), and/or proxy servers (although they can still see what's being transmitted), and/or Jim's super-proxy, whatever it's called. Jim's program uses a secure connection.

 

Key stroke monitors can only work if they're installed on your computer.

[IllinoisDave]

I'm sure that his constituents are appropriately impressed in this election year.

 

This is just business as normal for the Chinese government - it's unclear why the hotels would be involved.

 

If you want a secure connection, use a secure site (https:) (transmissions are encrypted), a VPN connection (connects to a secure server), and/or proxy servers (although they can still see what's being transmitted), and/or Jim's super-proxy, whatever it's called. Jim's program uses a secure connection.

 

Key stroke monitors can only work if they're installed on your computer.

I wonder if they're counting on the fact that many people aren't computer-savvy enough to use the work-arounds.

[Randy W]

Almost all web sites use encrypted connections for transactions - corporate web sites are aware of the need for a VPN setup when connecting from outside the company firewall. There shouldn't be a problem

 

Earlier this year, the U.S. State Department issued a fact sheet warning travelers attending the Olympic games that "they have no reasonable expectation of privacy in public or private locations" in China.

 

The rest of the article isn't important.

[Sebastian]

Business as usual !! I don't see anything new, except someone in 'reporting authority' deigned to report about it.

 

*Yawn*

[Corbin]

Election year horn tooting if you ask me.

 

Besides if they want to see what you are looking at they don't need the hotel to install software to do this. They can route it through their own servers and check for key words. VPN's and other such ways to get around this is for the ones in the know, so if you don't want the Chinese big brother looking over you, you better know how to use one of the ways to stop them.

[rogerluli]

I remember reading somewhere that China has 60,000 people monitoring the internet (if my number is wrong please correct me). They are VERY serious in controlling the flow of information. Foreign hotels in China are expected to play the game just like Google...

[rogerluli]

In a related story...

 

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25932817

 

Journalists working at the Olympics will NOT enjoy unrestricted internet access either... as previously promised...

[Guest Mike and Lily]

I remember reading somewhere that China has 60,000 people monitoring the internet (if my number is wrong please correct me). They are VERY serious in controlling the flow of information. Foreign hotels in China are expected to play the game just like Google...

 

The great wall of China may be crumbling, but the great firewall of China isn't!

[jim_julian]

It's like this all over the world ... Europe, Middle East, Asia, etc.

 

In business hotels rooms are often bugged. Faxes are collected. Internet traffic is monitored. Phone calls are listened to by computers or people.

 

Nothing new ...

[griz326]

Monitored real time?

 

Horsefeathers!!!

 

Of course, I guess it depends on what the meaning of "monitored" is. As a former protocol analyst and former journalist, this sort of spin makes me see red.

[Maxal]

Of course the BBC is reporting that many journalists are not finding the interenet actuall un restricted. Been several complaints already to the Chinese goverment. Thay have promised to address the issues.

 

The one thing the Chinese have learn is the use of political wording to do noting.

[IllinoisDave]

Thay have promised to address the issues.

They'll address it alright. Starting about August 25th.

[Corbin]

Thay have promised to address the issues.

They'll address it alright. Starting about August 25th.

Sounds about right for any government when they say they will address it and the time frame to address it takes longer than the event.....

[C4Racer]

It's like this all over the world ... Europe, Middle East, Asia, etc.

 

In business hotels rooms are often bugged. Faxes are collected. Internet traffic is monitored. Phone calls are listened to by computers or people.

 

Nothing new ...

 

Including the good 'ole USA. Your NSA (National Security Agency) monitors internet traffic, Emails, phone and cellphone traffic looking for key words/phrases used by terrorists. Don't you remember all the flack Bush caught over this for trying to expand it. So why is it a human rights issue when China does it, but when the US does the same thing it is only for National Security?