US federal government is taking steps to reduce the presence of some Chinese technology firms in American markets. Earlier this month, AT&T scrapped a deal with Chinese phone maker Huawei, reportedly as a result of pressure from anonymous U.S. lawmakers who cited national security concerns. Source: Security fears spark crackdown on Chinese tech | TheHill
China
The world’s leading gay dating app says users shouldn’t worry they just got bought by a Chinese firm. Experts aren’t so sure. Source: Can the Chinese government now get access to your Grindr profile? – The Washington Post
Authorities in China’s far-west are collecting DNA samples, fingerprints, eye scans and blood types of millions of people aged 12 to 65, according to a new Human Rights Watch (HRW) report. Source: China collecting DNA, biometrics from millions in Xinjiang: report – CNN
Facial recognition is the new hot tech topic in China. Banks, airports, hotels and even public toilets are all trying to verify people’s identities by analyzing their faces. But the police and security state have been the most enthusiastic about embracing this new technology. Source: In China, facial recognition is sharp end of big data […]
Taking a look at the activities of 2017, it’s clear that the coming year will see lots of movement on the privacy front. This week’s Privacy Tracker legislative roundup consists of contributions from around the globe on expected and potential legislation. With more than 20 entries coming in from countries and regions spanning Argentina to […]
China lists the names and personal details of 8.8 million debt defaulters on a public website. Those defaulters can’t fly or use high-speed trains, book fancy hotels or enroll their children at expensive schools. Naming and shaming is growing across the country, with automatic messages playing on mobile phones and the names and photos of defaulters being […]
Chinese are demanding better protections even as the government and tech giants like Alibaba and Tencent gather ever more data. Source: Internet Users in China Expect to Be Tracked. Now, They Want Privacy. – The New York Times
China is taking the idea of a credit score to the extreme, using big data to track and rank what you do—your purchases, your pastimes, your mistakes. Source: In China, a Three-Digit Score Could Dictate Your Place in Society | WIRED
A memo from the Immigration and Customs Enforcement bureau says the firm’s commercial products may be sending sensitive information about U.S. infrastructure back to China, raising security concerns. Source: Drone Maker D.J.I. May Be Sending Data to China, U.S. Officials Say – The New York Times
The Chinese government is collecting “voice pattern” samples of individuals to establish a national voice biometric database. Unlike other types of biometric collection, such as fingerprinting or DNA sampling, individuals may not even realize their voice pattern has been collected, or that they are under surveillance. Source: China: Voice Biometric Collection Threatens Privacy | Human Rights […]