Original link: https://blog.yitianshijie.net/2022/08/16/why-as-chinese-you-shoud-use-imessage-group-chat/
As far as I can see, there are basically two cases of being summoned by the Internet police for speaking on the Internet (commonly known as drinking tea) in China. One is to speak publicly on social networks. It doesn’t matter Huayang. In fact, we tend to hear more often examples of being subpoenaed for speaking at the Chi Chi Club . The other is in private groups. The examples I have heard of are all domestic software groups, of which WeChat is naturally the bulk.
We all know that chats in domestic communication software will be monitored. We also know that with the rigor and technical knowledge that most people take on this matter, it is almost impossible to speak publicly on social networks without revealing their true identities. And we also agree that being able to talk freely is an essential element of the physical and mental health of citizens, both public and private. In this general environment, what we can find is a suboptimal but still the best answer among all options: private group chats using trusted encrypted chat software not produced in China.
Sadly, this is only possible if everyone uses an iPhone. The security of chat software is not only related to its own design, but also related to the entire operating system. There are too many possible weaknesses and even backdoors deliberately placed by manufacturers on Android, especially domestic Android, which will make the security design of the chat software itself useless. If you give someone else an unlocked phone, they can open Signal to see all your chat history. At this point, it doesn’t matter whether Signal’s own encryption algorithm is strong or not. For ordinary mobile phone users, the possibility of such a problem appearing on Android is much higher than that on iPhone.
Requiring everyone to use an iPhone is despicable. In the case of users using Apple IDs in China, since the data is stored in the servers of the state-owned enterprise “Cloud Guizhou”, the security will also be compromised. But even so, for most people, private chat in an iMessage group is still much freer and safer than private chat in a WeChat group. The more people comfortable with using apparently unsafe technology, the more people will be forced to make rational choices that harm their physical and mental health: self-censorship and caution.
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