Chinese websites adding Invisible Watermarks for national security? A spine-chilling method to stop netizens from taking screenshots and force down the Great Translation Movement

On 06 Sept 2022, a Hong Kong netizen, Ben, posted about a few big websites in Shenzhen and Hebei, including Douban and Zhihu, have implemented the “Invisible Watermark” function. This means that when a netizen makes a screen capture of the websites, the image will automatically record their information such as account logins and geographic location as a watermark that is invisible to the user. The information hidden in the “Invisible Watermark” can only be read using the specialized software for frequency domain filtering. This indicates that if a Chinese netizen took screenshots secretly and send to others for the Great Translation Movement, it will be very easy for the Chinese government to find out who took the screenshots and take actions for criminal accusation.

Ben also mentioned that the technology was used to protect copyrights, but it was not common a decade ago. “Now the Mainland China is using the Invisible Watermarks all over the internet, it is for national security needs and also to suppress dissent, of course they won’t mind using traps.” Ben said that there are still some ways to check if an image has an invisible watermark on it to not, which a Chinese netizen, Liang, who claims to be a CTO has also demonstrated ways to check invisible watermarks on Twitter. Ben mentioned “Bilibili, Weibo, WeChat and TikTok are catching up (with Douban and Zhihu), and soon it will become an unspoken rule for operation. He is also worried that “It’s not difficult to deepen the technology”, and in long term, “The deterrent force of being caught due to the privacy leak through screenshot images will inevitably heat up.”

Some netizens discussed this “Invisible Watermark incident” on Twitter and social platforms. It is mentioned that sharing screenshots or even taking photos of the screenshots will be dangerous for mainland netizens in the future, and the government is not keeping this a secret to create a chilling effect.

Source: Winandmac #Sep06

#Chinese #Website #Watermark

https://www.winandmac.com/2022/09/ccp-new-way-to-restrict-freedom-of-speech/

#NewYorkCity's mayor is in the spotlight. A report says one of his election campaign donors has ties to a troubled U.S. charity, which reportedly hosts a secret #Chinese police station in its New York headquarters.

⭕️ Watch the full episode 👉https://ept.ms/NYMayorTiedtoChina

⭕️Save up to 50% 👉https://ept.ms/3bFhoZB

Over $10,000 has been donated to #Democratic candidates facing competitive #midterm races. The money has all come from a top lobbyist for #Chinese telecom giant Huawei.

🔵 Watch NOW 👉
https://ept.ms/ElectionDonationsToDemocrats

🔵 Save up to 50% 👉https://ept.ms/3AgWz0M

Lawmakers urge more scrutiny of Chinese firms in wake of charges

Members of Congress are urging more scrutiny of Chinese companies in the U.S. after the Justice Department this week announced that two Chinese agents sought to obstruct prosecution of a telecommunications company reported to be Huawei Technologies.

The criminal charges unsealed Monday against the two Chinese intelligence officers are the latest twist in the case against the company, which the department indicted in 2020 for federal racketeering and conspiring to steal U.S. companies’ trade secrets. The Justice Department described the company as “a global telecommunications company that is a charged defendant in an ongoing prosecution.” The New York Times reported that the company was Huawei.  

Source: Rollcall #Oct26

#Chinese #US #Huawei #Scrutiny

https://t.co/zCG8KoJIZQ

Size of alleged Chinese interference in Canada ‘astonishing’: experts

Shocking reports of alleged Chinese interference in Canada’s 2019 elections, first reported by Global News, have raised questions about whether Ottawa is doing enough to deal with the national security threat. ‘The West Block’ host Mercedes Stephenson speaks with national security expert Akshay Singh, former Canadian ambassador to China David Mulroney, and Global News investigative reporter Sam Cooper about the bombshell revelations and the Liberal government’s underwhelming response.

Source：GlobalNews #Nov14

https://globalnews.ca/video/9272674/size-of-alleged-chinese-interference-in-canada-astonishing-experts/

#Chinese #Canada

Chinese hackers stole millions worth of U.S. COVID relief money, Secret Service says

Chinese hackers have stolen tens of millions of dollars worth of U.S. COVID relief benefits since 2020, the Secret Service said on Monday.

The Secret Service declined to provide any additional details but confirmed a report by NBC News that said the Chinese hacking team that is reportedly responsible is known within the security research community as APT41 or Winnti.
APT41 is a prolific cybercriminal group that had conducted a mix of government-backed cyber intrusions and financially motivated data breaches, according to experts.

Source：Reuter #Dec06

https://www.reuters.com/technology/chinese-hackers-stole-millions-worth-us-covid-relief-money-secret-service-says-2022-12-05/

#Chinese #Hacker #US #COVID

Chinese Students Hold Posters and Flowers on HKU Campus;
Police arrived to record their personal information

According to the #UnderGrad, an official publication of #HKUSU, there were at least 2 #Chinese students holding leaflets and flowers at the university on 27 Nov to mourn the victims of the #Xinjiang #Urumqi fire. Police arrived after the university reported the incident; officers recorded personal information of the students involved before leaving.

A fire broke out in a residential building in Xinjiang Urumqi on the evening of 24 Nov. It is said that at least 20 people were killed, including many children. The youngest deceased was only aged 3.

On Chinese social media, many questioned whether the #lockdown measures obstructed the rescue. Some fire trucks were suspected to be unable to approach the fire. A few video clips also showed workers in white PPE appeared to be breaking down fences and barricades.

Since the accident, mourning activities sprang up in many cities across China. Institutions like #CommunicationUniversityofChina and #BeijingUniversity appeared to have opposition movements. #TsinghuaUniversity students gathered and raised a piece of white paper to protest. In #Shanghai, groups of people were even chanting slogan, "Let the people go".

Source: 寄寓記語 Facebook #Nov27

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid02S1ureDZgx3FvBVzrRGb12BQLBFdurVyt92QvVbupKGgHRYvyn4eBhzT4DeL2oUxml&id=100075850610487&mibextid=OgCMUw

Around 900 million #Chinese people have been infected with #COVID19. A study estimated cases to peak at 3.7 million a day, with 25,000 daily deaths.

No U.S. #oilreserves for China. The House is blocking oil reserve exports from being sent to companies tied to China.

https://ept.ms/USFightsBack

A suspected #Chinese spy balloon has been found over the United States. The #Pentagon said that it isn’t able to see anything that Chinese satellites can’t already see.

So what’s its purpose?

https://ntd.nyc/ChineseSpyBalloon

The Pentagon confirmed that the flying object was a #Chinese spy balloon.

And, according to Brigadier General Pat Ryder, the #SpyBalloon not only has some sort of a payload underneath the surveillance component, but at the same time, it has the power to maneuver.

https://ept.ms/ChinaAttack

The U.S. #border is feeling the strain. This time, #Chinese nationals are trying to enter the country illegally, with Border Patrol officials noting a 900 percent spike in encounters. Cartels are getting tens of thousands in cash to help smuggle them in.

https://ept.ms/ChineseMigrantsSpike_CIF

The #Chinese Communist Party regards the US as its number one enemy, it doesn’t believe that its communist system can coexist at the same time as the #American system. And US officials do not realize that the CCP has declared an underhanded war on America.

Watch 👉 https://ept.ms/CCPPoliceInNYC_CR

According to new videos surfacing, a record number of #Chinese people are trying to get access to the U.S. through the #DarienGap, a jungle between Colombia and Panama. This area is known for the #IllegalImmigrants making their way to the U.S.

https://ept.ms/HarvardProfSentenced_CIF

Sen. #JoniErnst released an analysis, which found that over the past five years ending in 2021, the United States gave #Chinese and #Russian entities over $1.3 billion in taxpayer money for a range of research programs.

https://ept.ms/490MSentToChina_CIF

Hong Kong protesters allegedly attacked by Chinese activists in Southampton

Police are investigating after footage emerged apparently showing pro-Hong Kong demonstrators being violently attacked by a group of Chinese activists in Southampton.

The alleged incident occurred after a rally to mark the anniversary of the 2019 protests for democratic changes in Hong Kong.

Hampshire constabulary said they had received a report about a “hate-related assault” in Southampton, while Hong Kong community leaders denounced what they called a “blatant violation of the fundamental principles of freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and the right to protest”.

source: The Guardian #Jun12

https://amp.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/jun/12/hong-kong-protesters-allegedly-attacked-chinese-activists-southampton

#HongKong #Protester #Attacked #Chinese #Southampton

Record numbers of #Chinese #IllegalImmigrants are making their way via a secret route to the U.S. in recent months. According to the U.N. refugee agency, over 100,000 had been trying to gain #Asylum around mid-2022.

https://ept.ms/BlinkenChinaTrip_CIF

Following the uprising in #Russia, people on #Chinese social media #Weibo began to fret about how China may be affected by a hypothetical Russian civil war, or if Vladimir Putin's grip on power is diminished.

https://ept.ms/380KAcresLandGrab_CIF

President Joe #Biden on June 28 denied involvement in his son #Hunter’s business dealings after recent reports of his son’s text messages indicated the president had been in the room with him during negotiations with a #Chinese businessman.

https://ntd.nyc/BidenDeniesInvolvementInHuntersDeals

Treasury Secretary #JanetYellen just wrapped up a four-day visit to Beijing, which she called a success. But this is actually based on the fact that they are “re-establishing contact.” In reality, the #Chinese Communist Party smells blood in the water. And tensions between the two countries appear to be rapidly growing, as diplomacy appears to be rapidly failing.

#JoshuaPhilipp on the CCP's "We live, you die" mentality.

https://ept.ms/WeLiveYouDie