David Rice, an expert in the process of creating hysterical hype that is attractive to second-tier Washington, DC newspapers run by the Moonies, states that the Chinese will steal your crap and leave you for dead unless you buy a new, disposable camera, cellphone, and laptop. In short, he believes that the Chinese intend to spy on every single tourist in the country and the only way to save yourself is to carry no electronics at all.
“It’s not if you think you’re a target, it’s if they think you’re a target,” Mr. Rice said. “It’s hard to overstate the aggressiveness of the type of techniques. This is the reality of cyberwarfare and cyberespionage in the 21st century.”
Will you be the subject of espionage? Probably not. China already has enough pictures of your kids. However, if you’re going to Beijing and expect to get any work done we’d recommend using the postal service to send encrypted bits from China to your home office in Scranton. It might take a while but it’s worth the effort.
I agree about the hysterics part but there is a method to their madness. In the case of Rice is to flog his books and maybe a concession on disposable electronic goods. In the case of Brownback is to gain political capital at the expense of China.
Think about it, during the height of massive influx of tourist and height of security concerns, China is going to spy on the foreign visitors? Probably so, but to find terroists that are up to no good. Just imagine the U.S. hosting the Olympics and not China, would Homeland Secutiry go nuts or what?
For a contrarian opinion, see
http://georgekoo.blogspot.com/2008/08/dear-senator-sam-brownback.html
I agree about the hysterics part but there is a method to their madness. In the case of Rice is to flog his books and maybe a concession on disposable electronic goods. In the case of Brownback is to gain political capital at the expense of China.
Think about it, during the height of massive influx of tourist and height of security concerns, China is going to spy on the foreign visitors? Probably so, but to find terroists that are up to no good. Just imagine the U.S. hosting the Olympics and not China, would Homeland Secutiry go nuts or what?
For a contrarian opinion, see
http://georgekoo.blogspot.com/2008/08/dear-senator-sam-brownback.html