Apple has imposed restrictions on its iPhones sold in China to share files between the devices, a feature that can be used to bypass censorship and spread information deemed hostile or critical of the government, AFP reported.
China already closely monitors its Internet and media. Every day, an army of censors removes content that presents public policy in a bad light or may cause unrest.
Social networks are also heavily monitored, while many foreign sites cannot be accessed without bypass software such as a VPN.
To avoid censorship, you can use an iPhone.
On these phones, AirDrop lets you share all kinds of content, including photos and videos, with another Apple device nearby.
This feature is currently limited in China. With the latest update from the US group, all iPhones sold in that country automatically turn off the option after 10 minutes for devices not in the user’s contact list.
In concrete terms, it dramatically reduces the chance of accidentally receiving files from strangers and thus sharing potentially sensitive messages without censorship.
AirDrop has been used in public places to broadcast slogans critical of the ruling Communist Party since a rare demonstration in Beijing last month.
Banners hostile to President Xi Jinping were briefly displayed on a bridge in the capital just before the Communist Party congress.
This gesture of defiance seemed surprising in a city that was then surrounded by security forces and equipped with countless surveillance cameras.
Apple told AFP that the update was designed to limit unwanted file sharing and plans to roll out the update globally next year.
It appears that Apple products sold outside of China are not subject to the restrictions imposed by the latest iOS 16.1.1 mobile operating system update.
Some Weibo users on Thursday hailed the positive measure for a “significant reduction” in “harassment” by foreigners.
Others mocked the Apple boss. “Is Tim Cook a member of the Communist Party?” one user asked ironically.
Apple products, from the iPhone to the iPad, are extremely popular in China, one of the American company’s biggest markets outside the United States.
Photo: Dreamstime
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