WeChat reportedly spying on foreigners to feed censorship algorithms in China
The University of Toronto's Citizen Lab claimed that WeChat monitors the messages of international users to feed content into censorship algorithms in China.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons disappears from Chinese platforms
Animal Crossing: New Horizons has disappeared from Chinese e-commerce platforms, not long after some pro-Hong Kong activists used the game to protest China.
Attacks from Chinese hacking group have spiked, U.S. firm says
Attempted cyberattacks from a sophisticated Chinese hacking group have spiked since late January, according to cybersecurity firm FireEye Inc.
As coronavirus spreads, is it safe to buy products shipped from China?
There is no way the coronavirus could be active long enough on a surface for it to become contagious through the touching of a package or a product from China.
Coronavirus concerns bump Chinese attendees from GDC 2020
Chinese attendees have been forced to withdraw from the Game Developers Conference due to the coronavirus. Some will send North American employees instead.
Justice Department charges 4 Chinese Army spies over massive 2017 Equifax hack
The U.S, Department of Justice charged four Chinese intelligence officers with hacking offenses related to the 2017 breach of credit reporting agency Equifax.
Coronavirus cuts deep into Hollywood’s crucial Chinese box office numbers
The Wuhan coronavirus has shut down several public spaces and levied a financial hit on the world’s second-largest film market during the Lunar New Year period.
United, Delta, and American airlines suspend flights to China due to Coronavirus
In response to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, American Airlines, United Airlines, and Delta Air Lines will be suspending all their flights to mainland China.
Coronavirus misinformation spreads quickly. Here’s how to spot it
Viruses spread quickly, but so too does misinformation. That's been the case in the wake of the novel coronavirus in China. As the number of cases increases, people online are growing more alarmed -- and spreading fake news. Here's how to spot misinformation about the coronavirus.
All about the money: The U.K. had no choice but to use Huawei in its 5G networks
The U.K. government has granted Huawei the ability to build part of its 5G networks across the country, despite ongoing security fears raised by the U.S. But the situation isn't about security -- the U.K. is unconcerned by the unsubstantiated accusations -- it's about a massive amount of investment and profit.
Tesla’s Shanghai factory hit by temporary shutdown over coronavirus fears
Just weeks after delivering its first Model 3 cars in China, Tesla was ordered to close its Shanghai factory over coronavirus fears.
Coronavirus outbreak prompts Google to temporarily close China offices
Google announced that the company is temporarily shutting down its offices in China due to the coronavirus outbreak. The company's offices in mainland China, as well as in Hong Kong and Taiwan, will remain closed past the Lunar New Year holiday, per government guidance.
Tesla delivers first electric cars from its new factory in China
Tesla is now building cars at a new factory in China. The first batch of 15 Model 3 electric cars were delivered to Tesla employees during a celebratory event at the Shanghai factory. China car production is a big step for Tesla as it looks to continue to challenge established automakers.
China launches its largest rocket ever, the Long March-5
China launched its largest-ever rocket this week: The Long March-5 Y3 rocket took off from the Wenchang Space Launch Center in south China's Hainan Province, carrying a Shijian-20 satellite, as reported by China's state news agency Xinhua. Just over half an hour later, the satellite achieved its planned orbit.
China wants to use controversial DNA analysis to guess faces of criminals
Chinese scientists are using blood samples to try and recreate images of people’s faces. The experimental technology is currently in the early stages of development, but can already produce approximate images considered good enough to narrow investigations or eliminate suspects.
TikTok lawsuit claims video app ‘vacuums up’ user data and sends it to China
A lawsuit has been filed in California against video social network TikTok, which claims the app collects user data and sends it to China, something the firm has denied in the past. Although owned by a Chinese company, TikTok says it operates independently, and stores U.S. user data on U.S. servers.
China switches on 5G network earlier than expected, and with cheap prices
China has switched on its 5G network earlier than the previously expected 2020 launch date, with at least nine million people already signed up for the fast data speeds. All three major mobile networks are offering 5G fees, and the prices are competitive, making it easier for people to upgrade.
Senators call for investigation into TikTok for ‘counterintelligence threat’
Does giving your data to an app-based in China create a national security risk? Two U.S. senators are calling for an investigation into TikTok over data sharing, freedom of speech, and foreign interference. The request comes from Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer and Republican Sen. Tom Cotton.
Chinese carmaker Zotye signs 100 dealerships in the U.S.
Starting in 2021, when considering a new vehicle to buy, you can add a new name to the list. Zotye is looking to be the first Chinese automaker to have a dealer network in place in the United States, with 100 dealerships already signed on. Zotye intends to eventually have a network of 350 dealers.
Samsung closes last China phone factory. Others would find it harder, experts say
Samsung has closed its final phone production factory in China and shifted mainly to Vietnam and India, attracted by lower costs. There have been calls for other companies to do the same, but experts have weighed in to explain why some -- including Apple -- would find it considerably more difficult.
Apple reportedly told Apple TV+ showrunners to avoid negative portrayal of China
Apple reportedly told Apple TV+ content creators to avoid negative portrayals of China, as part of the company's efforts to maintain a good relationship with the Asian country. This is just the latest example of tech companies succumbing to the demands of China, a major player in the global economy.
Why Blizzard suspending a Hearthstone player over Hong Kong support is bad
Blizzard has suspended a competitive Hearthstone player from esports competition and voided his winnings because of a statement he made supporting Hong Kong protestors. Here is why that matters, and the precedent it could set for Blizzard and other companies to appease foreign governments in the future.
Apple rejects Hong Kong protest map from App Store, relents under pressure
Pro-democracy protestors in Hong Kong have been using an app that shows information about police activity. The developers wanted to make the map available as a mobile app, but Apple rejected it from the iOS App Store. Under international pressure, Apple walked back that decision and allowed the app.
Pick your nose in a crowd of 10,000 and this 500-megapixel camera will know
Hiding from a security camera becomes even harder when that security camera can see five times the detail the human eye can. Researchers in China recently shared the design of a super camera that can use facial recognition in crowds of tens of thousands of people, thanks to a 500-megapixel resolution.
Volkswagen’s electric I.D. R negotiated 99 hairpin turns in under eight minutes
The Volkswagen I.D. R electric car has set records in the United States and Germany, and now Volkswagen and driver Romain Dumas have added a challenging Chinese road to their list of triumphs. Volkswagen expects China to be a major market for its I.D. electric road cars, hence the latest record attempt.
Trade war forces Google to move number of factories from China
Google is moving many of its factories out of China, according to a report from Nikkei. The ongoing China-U.S. trade war seems to be a strong reason behind the move, but the growing labor costs in China are also a key factor. The Pixel 3a factory is reportedly the first to be moved to Vietnam.
Toyota partners with Chinese autonomous-driving startup Pony.ai
Toyota is teaming up with Chinese autonomous-driving startup Pony.ai to continue the development of self-driving cars. Partnerships are becoming the norm in the world of autonomous driving, and Toyota is also working with Uber and Chinese tech firm Baidu on the technology.
LinkedIn reportedly used by some nations to recruit spies
LinkedIn isn’t only an excellent way to find new business opportunities and network with others in the same field. It’s also a great way for foreign powers to recruit spies, according to a NY Times report. The practice has apparently been going on for some time, with Chinese spies believed to be the most active.
China is running Hong Kong disinformation campaigns through Facebook and Twitter
Facebook and Twitter removed accounts from their platforms that they say were focused on discrediting the protest situation in Hong Kong. The two social networks announced that they found accounts, pages, and groups that had coordinated, manipulative content regarding the Hong Kong protests.
Elon Musk’s Boring Company plans to tunnel beneath another country
Elon Musk revealed over the weekend that he's planning to launch his Boring Company in China. The move, details of which will be released later this month, will mark the company’s first step outside of the U.S. as it seeks to build an advanced, subterranean transportation system.
Nintendo Switch sales will get a boost thanks to Tencent partnership in China
Nintendo and Tencent revealed more details on their partnership to finally release the Nintendo Switch in China. Nintendo Switch sales is expected to receive a significant boost once the console is launched in the world's biggest gaming market, but there remains several layers of regulatory approval.
China’s space station, Tiangong-2, has burned up in the atmosphere
China's space station, Tiangong-2, has burned up in the Earth's atmosphere as part of a planned deorbital maneuver. It was launched in 2016 as a test bed and was originally only scheduled to be in space for two or three years. But it survived longer than expected and spent nearly 1,000 days in space.
Google denies working on touchscreen tech for Chinese fighter jets
Google denied that it helped China's military build a new touchscreen tool for its J-20 fighter jets. The tech giant said that it had no role in the military aspect of touchscreen research that could potentially give an advantage to Chinese fighter jets in both air-to-air and air-to-ground combat
Chinese border guards are installing a spyware app on tourists’ phones
Border police in Xinjiang, China have begun to install surveillance apps on the phones of travelers that extract emails, texts, contact information, and more. The Chinese-designed app searches phones for content that the country's authorities would view as problematic, such as Islamic extremism.