#Cybersecurity #FakeNews
Facebook takes down China-based network spreading false COVID-19 claims

//The parent company of #Facebook and #Instagram said on Wednesday, December 1, 2021, it has taken down more than 600 accounts, pages and groups connected to a Chinese influence operation spreading #COVID19 #disinformation, including an account purporting to be a fictitious Swiss biologist.

The China-based network was one of six #Meta, formerly know as Facebook, removed in November for abusing its platforms, a reminder that bad actors around the world are using social media to promote false information and harass opponents.

The China-based operation came to light after the company was alerted to an account purporting to be a Swiss biologist named Wilson Edwards (no such person exists). The account posted claims on Facebook and Twitter in July that the U.S. was pressuring World Health Organization scientists to blame China for the COVID-19 virus. The posts alleging U.S. intimidation soon appeared in Chinese state media stories.//

Image: Stand News
Source: NPR #Dec1
https://www.npr.org/2021/12/01/1060645940/facebook-takes-down-china-based-fake-covid-claims

#FakeIdentity #MadeInChina #CCPControls #CCP #Regime

#Taiwan Condemns Hong Kong Authorities' Crackdown on #StandNews

On December 29, 2021, Taiwan's three major political parties all issued statements in response to Hong Kong Police's crackdown on Stand News, expressing their concern and condemnation.

Taiwan's ruling party, the Democratic Progressive Party (#DPP), expressed "indignation and resentment" at the Hong Kong police's flagrant actions, searching media offices and arresting promoters of freedom and democracy. They consider these acts as strangling Hong Kong's freedom of expression and creating a chilling effect among media and public opinion. The DPP calls on the international community and Taiwan to continue observing Hong Kong's development.

The statement by New Power Party (#NPP) calls the actions by Hong Kong's national security police "disproportional", causing serious damage to the freedom of press, and effectively nullifies the rights laid out in the Basic Law: "Hong Kong residents shall have freedom of speech, of the press and of publication; freedom of association, of assembly, of procession and of demonstration; and the right and freedom to form and join trade unions, and to strike."

#Kuomintang, Taiwan's current opposition party, expressed deep concern that the authorities shut down a media company that spoke up for different public opinions and upheld principles of democracy, freedom, and human rights. They called on Chinese authorities to respect the younger generation's view of democratic values and freedom of speech. As Hong Kong had been the revolutionary headquarter of Dr Sun Yat-sen, the founding father of modern China, Hong Kong's democracy and freedom are deeply tied to the pursuit of democracy and freedom on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.

Source: Citizen News; Liberty Times #Dec29
https://www.facebook.com/366243453719070/posts/1618965958446807/

https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/politics/breakingnews/3784313

#Media #PoliticalOppression #PressFreedom #Arrest #Regime #PoliceState #PoliticalProsecution

There are two sides to the state of the #Chinese regime. On one side, we're seeing a weakening of its system—a weakening economically, politically, and socially. At the same time, we see a #regime that's becoming more #aggressive on the world stage.

Join host #JoshuaPhilipp as we look into this.

⭕️Tune in here for the full episode 👉 https://ept.ms/ChinasTwoSides

🔵 Watch in-depth videos based on Truth & Tradition at @EpochTV 👉 https://ept.ms/37ckRcx

#Regime #CCPRules
#China Bans #Christmas as 'Forbidden Western Celebration'

A leaked document showed that Chinese authorities ordered limits on festive celebrations.

The document, dated December 20, 2021 was issued by the PRC's Department of Education of Rong'an county in Liuzhou city of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

The directive, addressed to all elementary schools and kindergartens, is titled "Spreading the Chinese traditional culture and forbidding Western festival celebrations".

It urged people to report to the authorities immediately if anyone finds individuals and organizations arranging any Christmas event.

The directive also said a special officer has been designated at the County Public Security Bureau to handle complaints regarding the matter and urged people to contact the authorities immediately if anyone finds individuals and organizations arranging any Christmas event.

Source: Set News; #Dec24
https://www.setn.com/News.aspx?NewsID=1047163

#WinterOlympics #MassSurveillance
Official #Beijing 2022 Olympics #MobileApp Is Marred by Security Flaws, Researchers Say

//In a report released Tuesday, Citizen Lab also said the app didn’t properly encrypt sensitive metadata transmitted through the app’s messaging function, which meant any eavesdropper operating a Wi-Fi hot spot could discover who users are communicating with and when.

The Beijing 2022 handbook for athletes and officials says My 2022 is intended to ensure the safety of all Games participants and “is in accordance with international standards and Chinese law.”//

Read the full article:
https://www.wsj.com/articles/official-beijing-2022-olympics-mobile-app-is-marred-by-security-flaws-researchers-say-11642511957

Source: WSJ #Jan19

#BigData #Regime #Cybersecurity #ChineseInternet #PoliceState #ChineseLaw

#Censorship #Silencing
China's Internet censors suggested contents mocking #XiJingping

On January 12, 2022, a Twitter account in the name of "New Youth" (新青年) twitted several screenshots showing possible censorship on #Baidu, the most used search engine in China.

The screenshots are lists of search results on Baidu, which is said to be automatically generated by AI based on most popular searches and most used keywords.

"New Youth" claimed that on Baidu's search bar, it used to prompt multiple AI suggested contents associated to "The incumbent" (現在這位) in its dropdown box, such like:-

"The incumbent is going to reign forever?" (現在這位是一直要坐下去嗎);

"The incumbent is not stirring up economy but movement" (現在這位不搞經濟搞運動);

"The incumbent craves for grandiose deeds" (現在這位好大喜功);

"The incumbent sucks in promoting economy" (現在這位搞經濟不行);

"The incumbent brags everyday, incredible!" (現在這位天天吹, 厲害了).

These suggested contents are seemingly pointing at the top CCP leader, Xi Jingping, criticising and mocking his leadership.

Currently, Baidu has removed all these suggested contents associated to "The Incumbent".

#CCP #Manipulation #Regime #ChineseInternet

Source: RFA; #Jan12
https://bit.ly/31Y8HVK

China State Media Demonizes its Netizens' #StandWithUkraine Effort

Since Russia began its invasion of Ukraine, Chinese-language comments supporting the aggression and deriding Ukrainian women were made by #LittlePink and opinion leaders on various social media platforms in China. Other Chinese-speaking netizens, who were appalled at these comments and behaviors, began translating them into other languages and posting them online for the world to see.

Calling themselves "The Great Translation Movement", the volunteer translators soon caught the attention of international media - as well as China's own propaganda machine.

Global Times, a tabloid owned by the Chinese Communist Party, condemned these volunteer translation efforts for painting China in a negative light. In a Weibo post on March 17, 2022, The Party mouthpiece called the translations an "evil force", inciting Anti-China hate on the Internet and endangering China as a whole. It also accused the participants to be supported by "foreign, anti-China forces", suggesting that they lacked "normal morals" and could not bear to see China's successful development - and its "temporary problems".

See also: Chinese in Ukraine Are Trying to Pass for Japanese as Anger Grows over Pro-Invasion Comments by ‘Little Pink’
https://publielectoral.lat/BeWaterHK/312

Source: Global Times Weibo, The Great Translation Movement Twitter #Mar17
https://twitter.com/TGTM_Official/status/1504448184763904001?t=WLgra5Yo_4hpAR0H37dD3Q&s=19

#Regime #GlobalTimes #Propaganda #TheGreatTranslationMovement

#Shanghai starts China's biggest #COVID19 lockdown in 2 years; residents call it "insane"

Although Chinese officials said lockdown would not be imposed on #Shanghai, two days later the authorities announced that the city will be locked down in two stages from Monday, March 28, 2022 onwards for nine days.

According to BBC, this is the biggest city-wide #lockdown since the Covid outbreak began more than two years ago.

Soon after the government's announcement was out, panic buying occured in various parts of Shanghai.

Videos on Weibo, a Chinese social media platform, showed people fighting in supermarket over produce. Some Chinese netizens commented that it was "unbelievable that they are looking at 21st-Century Shanghai" and that the policy was "insane".

Source: InMedia; BBC #Mar28
https://bit.ly/380pPwx

#WuhanPneumonia #ChineseStyle #Lockdown #Pandemic #Regime

#China, #Russia Again Veto UN Statement on #Myanmar Conflict

// On May 30, 2022, Russia and China once again wielded their vetoes to forestall the release of a United Nations Security Council (#UNSC) resolution expressing its concern over the escalating humanitarian crisis in Myanmar.

The two nations’ delegations reportedly objected to the wording of the statement
[...] authored by the United Kingdom’s delegation, the statement expressed its concern at the violence and serious humanitarian situation in Myanmar, 16 months on from the February 2021 coup that overthrew the government led by Aung San Suu Kyi. It also expressed misgivings about the “limited progress” on the implementation of ASEAN’s Five-Point Consensus peace plan.

According to other reports, the delegations from the U.K. and China blamed each other for the failure of the day-long negotiations. For the U.K. officials, Beijing was asking for “too much,” which led to the collapse of the negotiations, according to AFP. One of the sticking points for the Chinese delegation was the use of the word “limited” to refer to the progress on ASEAN’s Five-Point Consensus, which it suggested replacing with the word “slow.” A spokeswoman told AFP that China’s proposed wording was “factual but less condescending,” adding that “it’s a real shame” that there was no agreement.//

Source: The Diplomat #May30

#Regime #Dictatorship #UnitedNations

Chinese Authorities Detain Civilian in Mental Hospital for Expressing Opinions over Lockdown Policy

In Nanking, China, a young woman called Ding Yin was sent to a mental hospital after expressing her concerns over the lockdown of Shanghai.

Ding wrote a letter to #XiJinPing, reminding the leader of the Chinese Communist Party (#CCP) of the problems of power abuse and the difficulties faced by the population.

Ding was hospitalised sincr then without any date of release.

Source: Radio Free Asia #Jun10
https://bit.ly/39j6h7x

#Censorship #Regime #ShanghaiLockdown #Pandemic #MentalHospital