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beyondfantasy3 113M
1990 posts
12/1/2019 10:10 am
China introduces mandatory face scans for phone users


China will require telecom operators to collect face scans when registering new phone users at offline outlets starting Sunday, according to the country's information technology authority, as Beijing continues to tighten cyberspace controls.

In September, China's industry and information technology ministry issued a notice on "safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of citizens online", which laid out rules for enforcing real-name registration.

The notice said telecom operators should use "artificial intelligence and other technical means" to verify people's identities when they take a new phone number.

A China Unicom customer service representative told AFP that the December 1 "portrait matching" requirement means customers registering for a new phone number may have to record themselves turning their head and blinking.

beyondfantasy3 113M
4740 posts
12/1/2019 10:41 am

Wow....

Fact is, all phone whether we like it are not, ping our home location, and IP addresses are continually logged and backed up by many and almost any app we use.....
There is no such thing as privacy.... phone companies pretending they protect data info to some exclusive iron clad degree. In the "age of information"... (information is both a resource and a power)
everybody's information is for sale by one means or the other; whether we know of the sale and transfer or not.


It's up to people to keep what they want private, private to themselves, and doing so cannot be done "online" !!!!!

Learn what is "external removable storage" and use it.. If you take pictures that you don't want stored by an app... then buy yourself a "non connected digital camera with removable storage" or risk what ever it is being backed up and saved over a series of server, some with agreements that may have secondary layer of third party access and more.

People have some delusion that "The Cloud" is some mystery... It's nothing but "specifically tasked servers"... and for it to work, it has to have linking capability to other servers, and it all can be transmitted wireless...

There's always someone scanning the airwaves bandwidth, and we know there are people who have sophisticated means to snatch any signal, and many people have means to hack and break encryption and its always someone working on means to do so.

When a nation or sector can "cut off all digital transmission"... it also means, nothing can escape their ability to grasp it and run it through filters of sorts that we likely don't even consider to think exist.

So... keep your clothes on if you don't want your body images being hacked and spread.... and anything else you don't want accessed and spread about.

That's the nature of the system... called "internet"....

Even with Computers, the older window's system that were stand along, loaded from a Disc.... is far different in what kind of security you can have, as compacted to the current version that connect themselves to the internet.

Personally, I don't think "Chromebook"... is anywhere as private as the older "Windows XP" not that I do anything or play to do anything illegal, its just the fact... Google, stores everything without even asking.

It took me a long time to buy an Android phone, I had preferred windows, I'm sure they collect as well, but they were far less complicit in what they may have used it for in comparison to the unlimited means Google uses peoples information.

These companies buy and sell each other in the blink of an eye, and then send out notices to their Privacy Agreement, after the fact of the transfers of ownership or how they incorporate it into other systems.

I used various blogs, that no longer exist, and use to write on news sites that changed the type of program and how you access it and wiped away access to the previously posted data.

I had that done on this very site... with 20k plus comments and posting that are no longer accessible. I found them once, but I don't think I can find them again, and I'm not going to invest extensive time trying to do so.

But.. People will find new means to create and transmit packet data, that won't be so easy to break the encryption especially if it is encrypted across multiple packets by abstractions, that each packet has a string associated that alters the encryption of the strings that connect the fragmented segments it may contain. the faster systems become the more the tech people with find means to make use of that speed.

As everyday people, we have no idea of the level's of sophistication which exist in the systems of today... therefore, what's on the horizon for the future.. we have as everyday people not begin to consider it.

The best thing people can do, is not compromise their integrity nor dignity in how they use digital transmitted data.


beyondfantasy3 113M
4740 posts
12/1/2019 4:46 pm

Technology
'Hundreds of millions of people' may have had their text messages exposed online, researchers say.

A database housing millions of private SMS text messages was left open online for an extended period of time, a team of researchers at the online privacy company vpnMentor said Sunday. The Texas-based text messaging firm TrueDialog is thought to be responsible for the leak, the cybersecurity experts said.

The database contained access information to online medical services along with passwords and usernames to websites such as Google and Facebook.

The researchers warn that "millions of Americans are at risk." The team was able to access the text messages because the logs were "completely unsecured and unencrypted," the team said in a blog post.


( From New Article)


oldghost32 79M
241 posts
12/1/2019 7:34 pm

That's not exactly new, as a foreigner you cannot buy a sim card in China without giving the passport for scanning and possibly a live face scan too. That's been the case for a few years, as far as I remember, and occurred whenever I bought from either CM or CU. Don't know how that will affect the online purchase of HK/China dual sims however. Perhaps they are to be withdrawn.


beyondfantasy3 113M
4740 posts
12/2/2019 4:44 am

    Quoting oldghost32:
    That's not exactly new, as a foreigner you cannot buy a sim card in China without giving the passport for scanning and possibly a live face scan too. That's been the case for a few years, as far as I remember, and occurred whenever I bought from either CM or CU. Don't know how that will affect the online purchase of HK/China dual sims however. Perhaps they are to be withdrawn.
I guess it won't be long before that spreads to other nations as well. Even here, paying the bill online or on the phone requires zip code and credit card, so that ties a person to the sims card account.. even without contract.


beyondfantasy3 113M
4740 posts
12/2/2019 5:06 am

    Quoting  :

It just goes to show that people have to be "self responsible" with any digital account, and manage it with regard to having respect for their character and their integrity in how they communicate, what they save and store.

Some people use the location tracking tools, with absolutely no understanding of how it works. Take Google for example, it offer even the option to make a map of ones movement, and even if there is no map... the cell tower ping is itself a locator.

We've all read the stories of microphone and camera being activated without the owners awareness from some third party or ???

I see people buy those Alexa and Etc.... and they think it to be a novelty item, when it is a digital device that records and logs what ever, and its very interesting they sell it and claim it only responds when called by name; that's odd, because it means it has to be "listening all the time" if that's the case.

We don't know the whole of the Smart TV digital capabilities, which also have the listening capability, How many have camera's which enable the user to do video chat on the TV...

People see novelty and think not much about what else these units can do.

Not that anyone is living a malicious life, but people talk so much about "Privacy"... yet... have no concept of what of Privacy they make choice to potentially compromise, whether it happens inadvertently or by will full activation.

I read an article that the Ring Door Bells, has a pending concern by Law Enforcement to have access, as in "crime deterrent".

We live in a world that is not like before, and it will change more.

I already think many communities need to have video monitoring, especially locations that have crime factors that are on an increase.

We are monitored in the Grocery Store and every place we go, and then that is also tied to the "discount cards' that monitor and track and use the data of our purchases to enhance marketing to us.

Right now, if one search for something on Google, images of that search seem to show up on every page one visits.

Years ago, I communicated ideas to a company, and I noticed in the side bar, various elements of the email began to show images of marketing items relative to ideas discussed in the email.

Google and Amazon... is like a monster net in what it does and I don't care for any website that requires Facebook log in. I think Facebook is irresponsible with peoples personal information, they are concerned with "Profits"... they long ago lost the integrity of being just a "social platform" for people to share and interact their life experiences.

I don't think the broader society things much into the details of what it means for "a connected life", and "the internet of things"...... they think more of the novelty.... It's unlikely that it avoidable to be within the "net" of it all... because everything and every places is "digitally connected" by one means or the other.

We don't know what this site does with data... thankfully most share with a sense of decency and self respect... and there are some who track down fake accounts and scammers...

These tools are best used by "honest people"... and people who do not put their personal data on their profiles.
This site is Ok in the sense it does not promote the allowance of people to share their personal email until they have established some means to knowing each other... so don't try and circumvent it by sending your email address in some pretentious coded manner. Respect the tools that try and protect you as best as it can.

Many people left sites like this for the more saturated sites like Facebook and others.... and this site has remained simple... without advertisements directly targeted within the site. Which is interesting, since it let people interact without demanding a fee. How they make money, I don't know...


beyondfantasy3 113M
4740 posts
12/2/2019 5:13 am

During the lead up to the 2016 Election... people allowed themselves to be manipulated, because they would not invest the time to "learn the issues for themselves" and understand the "Civics" of Governance within the Republic Form of Governance, which gives "one vote" to "one person"... which means those individual, should be self responsible to research information for themselves, and not be led and swayed by spin and drama, and folklore and confabulations of others... Sadly, many were influenced, rather than to invest to be a self responsible voter..... and get the real facts on issue and policies for themselves.

Brexit was manipulated.. because the people did not understand or care to research what it was truly all about.

As was the information about ACA (Affordable Care Act)... rather than learn for themselves what these policy and legislation was about.
ACA was designed to help people.... yet, many did not want that to happen for a variety of reasons... it was and still is the individuals responsibility to learn what the program is.


beyondfantasy3 113M
4740 posts
12/2/2019 5:21 am

Even Climate change is attacked...when people see the "vast devastations" yet, they allow themselves to be led into denial... until the devastation hits them personally.
The same with the pollution's of the Ocean's... except the regions where it is unavoidable to see the damaging results.

America lags terribly bad in "understanding the value of Recycling"... where many poorer countries know it well and they have a far better understanding of materials and material compositions, beause they suffer the impacts of such litter and toxicity, some because waste is not only spread in their fatalities, some have allowed it to be "shipped to their lands"...

People may find it is to their benefit to think less of the novelty of things, and think more of their sense of responsibility in how they live in relation to all things.

All People ("globally") should have a higher level of concern for "EPA" (Environmental Protection Agencies).... and learn .... !!!!

It's sad that people are not more interactive in these type of commentary exchanges.... if they were, people could share more information and enhance the expanding of knowledgeable awareness to pay better attention... by sharing the information and knowledge they have gained...

Not just think in terms of eroticism of romantics... and realize that the conditions of the world will impact even their person realization of relation to the world and their individual lives. Then people may find means to let love find them by the basic nature of mutual interest....


beyondfantasy3 113M
4740 posts
12/2/2019 5:30 am

(News Article)

Now even the FBI is warning about your smart TV's security

If you just bought a smart TV on Black Friday or plan to buy one for Cyber Monday tomorrow, the FBI wants you to know a few things.

Smart TVs are like regular television sets but with an internet connection. With the advent and growth of Netflix, Hulu and other streaming services, most saw internet-connected televisions as a cord-cutter's dream. But like anything that connects to the internet, it opens up smart TVs to security vulnerabilities and hackers. Not only that, many smart TVs come with a camera and a microphone. But as is the case with most other internet-connected devices, manufacturers often don't put security as a priority.

That's the key takeaway from the FBI's Portland field office, which just ahead of some of the biggest shopping days of the year posted a warning on its website about the risks that smart TVs pose.

"Beyond the risk that your TV manufacturer and app developers may be listening and watching you, that television can also be a gateway for hackers to come into your home. A bad cyber actor may not be able to access your locked-down computer directly, but it is possible that your unsecured TV can give him or her an easy way in the backdoor through your router," wrote the FBI.

The FBI warned that hackers can take control of your unsecured smart TV and in worst cases, take control of the camera and microphone to watch and listen in.

Active attacks and exploits against smart TVs are rare, but not unheard of. Because every smart TV comes with their manufacturer's own software and are at the mercy of their often unreliable and irregular security patching schedule, some devices are more vulnerable than others. Earlier this year, hackers showed it was possible to hijack Google's Chromecast streaming stick and broadcast random videos to thousands of victims.

In fact, some of the biggest exploits targeting smart TVs in recent years were developed by the Central Intelligence Agency, but were stolen. The files were later published online by WikiLeaks.

But as much as the FBI's warning is responding to genuine fears, arguably one of the bigger issues that should cause as much if not greater concerns are how much tracking data is collected on smart TV owners.

(content from news article)

BE careful of "News" programs because many, are too focused on aspects of their Marketing Platforms... if you want details about "News. Items".. find means to seek reliable source of topics you have interest in.


1ClassyLady 69F
3298 posts
12/2/2019 5:25 pm

This is CCP (Chinese Communist Party) dictatorship and totalitarianism. The Chinese government is afraid of people rebel their government, so they use the censorship, facial recognition, CCTV on every corners of cross street, they don't know what is "privacy", all they know is to control the people.

Recently, CCP banned Hong Kongers to wear masks. The CCP wants to know who is the protestor in Hong Kong. CCP has tighten the freedom of Hong Kong. It is sad.



Honesty is the best policy.


oldghost32 79M
241 posts
12/3/2019 7:57 pm


This is CCP (Chinese Communist Party) dictatorship and totalitarianism.
Correction: China's government is certainly Authoritarian, and almost Totalitarian by dictionary definition. They are certainly not a Dictatorship. Taiwan was closer to dictatorship during the reign of Jiang/Chiang!

Recently, CCP banned Hong Kongers to wear masks. The CCP wants to know who is the protestor in Hong Kong.
1. This law was introducd by The Hong Kong Government, not the CCP.
2. America has had such laws for well over 100 years. Europe, Canada, USA all have such laws. It is very natural to forbid criminals means of concealment. Amongst the many peaceful protestors is a criminal fringe of vandals who damage destroy injure burn. They hide behind masks and amongst the peaceful many. It is amazing that HK took so long to ban the masks.

Staying on point.
Face photos and facial recognition software, AI improvements to image processing. These are being introduced globally, not just in China, of course. It is a cause for discomfort, it is Big Brother is Watching you' as in Orwell's 1984 come home to roost. Of course governments and police embrace this technology whilst you and I feel somewhat nervous about it. Governments are naturally not kind or benevolent and the uses of such technology is very likely to infringe on our personal freedoms whilst being applied 'for our benefit'


1ClassyLady 69F
3298 posts
12/5/2019 4:05 am

    Quoting oldghost32:

    This is CCP (Chinese Communist Party) dictatorship and totalitarianism.
    Correction: China's government is certainly Authoritarian, and almost Totalitarian by dictionary definition. They are certainly not a Dictatorship. Taiwan was closer to dictatorship during the reign of Jiang/Chiang!

    Recently, CCP banned Hong Kongers to wear masks. The CCP wants to know who is the protestor in Hong Kong.
    1. This law was introducd by The Hong Kong Government, not the CCP.
    2. America has had such laws for well over 100 years. Europe, Canada, USA all have such laws. It is very natural to forbid criminals means of concealment. Amongst the many peaceful protestors is a criminal fringe of vandals who damage destroy injure burn. They hide behind masks and amongst the peaceful many. It is amazing that HK took so long to ban the masks.

    Staying on point.
    Face photos and facial recognition software, AI improvements to image processing. These are being introduced globally, not just in China, of course. It is a cause for discomfort, it is Big Brother is Watching you' as in Orwell's 1984 come home to roost. Of course governments and police embrace this technology whilst you and I feel somewhat nervous about it. Governments are naturally not kind or benevolent and the uses of such technology is very likely to infringe on our personal freedoms whilst being applied 'for our benefit'

You are a slave to communist China. Shame on you!!! You know nothing. How much did China pay you to be their slave?

Can you deny that Mao k*ll tens millions of Chinese people? Did China have bipartisan system? Did they have presidential election for the past 70 years?

I h*te communist. You are an Aussie but a communist. Shame on you!! St*pid.



Honesty is the best policy.


oldghost32 79M
241 posts
12/5/2019 2:54 pm

Like Pavlov's dog, a conditioned reflex. I guess SundayJoke will rush off now and write a diatribe against China, see if I am right!


oldghost32 79M
241 posts
12/12/2019 10:12 pm


I grossly underestimated. Not one but three demented rants from SundayJoke!
No certainty that's the end of it either. She deserves 3 stars and gold for persistency, consistency and predictability


beyondfantasy3 113M
4740 posts
12/14/2019 10:21 am

I try to be careful with new technology, Promotion HYPE is one things, but as we see today with the "Ring "Video system, people are reporting being hacked, some ares are seeking to promote law enforcement access to "Ring" units as in the promotion of community security, (guess it plans to distinguish between accessing the units in the house and those at the front door?????),

I don't particularly care for those units that one talks to, but I can see it could be a benefit in an emergency... I think it matters where its placed?????

Technology won't slow down on introducing products, its people responsibility to learn as much about the products as they can before they get excited about the MARKETING HYPE....

Technology is everywhere, when it comes to homes... we may want to pay close attention to any Political Proposal to mandate one having a listening device and a video recording device in their homes.

I would not buy and install a TV in my bedroom that has microphone and camera built in.

I'd be careful where in the home such things are placed. I think any unit sold with a camera and microphone, have a means for "hard disconnet", not just some digital switch, but some means to unplug it.

I like better the Camera's that have USB cable, Plug in Micrphone...it affords one better control.... even if they use their TV for Image to Image phone, one has the ability to choose.

Even Cell Phone... I do agree with Goan, about the units with the "non removable battery".... I prefer not to buy one that does not have both a removable battery and removable storage. I think there should be a "slide Adjuster" that allows one to slide up or down to connect and disconnent both the SD Card and one that does the same with the Sims Card... Then the phone cannot trak one unless it is the user's choice.
If the SD Card can be activated or deactivated with a slider, one has the choice of when to active it and when not to, some apps can work from SD card, and some only work for the phone. Then the user knows how better to chose the apps and how to control what access apps have.

Some apps want access to things that have no necessity for it to access.

I think any company that comes out with a unit that has such a "slide activator" for SD card and SIMS cards will sell more phones.... as people understand better the control it provides them.

As to Government!!!! and TECH Companies... they want all the info they can get.. In the age of information it is power !!! The end use has no control over how that power which controls information will be used.

These companies back up stuff, buy and sell the business to each other, and with that goes the data... some don't care about the service they buy it for the "data" of users and the users subsctiptions.. It's why Facebook and Google will buy ANYTHING that has Million of Subscribers even when they don't want to use the app, they want the info on the subscribers.

Life won't go back to being a replication of a time before.. but society does repeat itself with modification and alteration in how society functions.
the vices are never absent, where some are driven by 'GREED, GLUTTONY, POWER HUNGER, VIOLENCE AND CRIMINAL ACTS...

But it also includes GOOD DEEDS, COMPASSION, CARE, CONSIDERATIONS, RESPECT AND GRACES, HONOR AND INTEGRITY....

It's our personal responsibility to support what promotes GOOD DEEDS, COMPASSION, CARE, CONSIDERATIONS, RESPECT AND GRACES, HONOR AND INTEGRITY.... AND FREEDOMS TO BE PERSON AS INDIVIDUAL WHO EMBRACE THESE VALUES AND SUPPORT THEM, Both in personal life and in the politics that govern our societies

It's easier for a society to be taken over by Tyrants and Dictators, than it is for Societies to be Democratic and with Democracy's Freedoms.

People can be herded like cattle and groomed to follow like sheep..

The greatest system of Earth is "Democracy" that has a Republic Form of Governance where THE PEOPLE Elect the Public Governing Representatives and they follow Congressional Principles. It has to have a RESPECT for Majority Rules... because everything can't exist of everyone desires and wants, and dislikes at the same time in the principles that govern the society.

The Preamble to the United States Constitution, LAYS OUT the VALUES that Governing Body is to initiate, promote, support and provide within the society unto its citizens and social nature and principles of building Democratic Community. "One Person" - "One Vote"...

In the 21st Century, America will abandon the Electoral College, it is no longer necessary.... and Federal Law Remains the Law of the Nation, and States may adopt many concepts of meeting that law, but no concepts that violates the responsibility to meet the standards of Federal Law.

ALL SOCIETIES must stop ASSUMING people understand the Civics of Society, and Teach it..

Digital Data will be used extensively in the Future more than it is being used today. It is the responsibility of people to ensure it is used with respect of Individual as Person and Person as Individual.

YOUNG PEOPLE around the world at standing up to stand against Tyrants and Dictators... and that will only increase in the coming decade...

Health Care and Education Will Become a Right To All... and the people who go into the Medical Profession in the Future, will not do so, by a pursuit to become rich, but by their concern to provide care within a system, and the only way to achieve that, is "managed cost" for services... where no place in the country will services cost more than any other place in the country. And Doctors are Paid By a Single Payer System, as Salary.

Then we won't have any more $10,000+ for surgical procedures, and $1200-$1500 for things as simple as a 5 minute ultra sound and etc...

People simply need to invest to think in terms to gain perspective to the pathway that lead to the future.