Jingwang Weishi

JingWang Weishi (Chinese: 净网卫士) is a mobile phone application used for surveillance of residents in Xinjiang, China.[1][2]

Function

The application records information about the device it is installed on, including its International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number, the phone's model and manufacturer, and the phone number.[2] It searches the phone for images, videos, audio recordings, and files, and instructs users to delete any content it flags as "dangerous".[2][3] Data is transferred in plaintext and without encryption.[1] The application also monitors WeChat and Sina Weibo activity.[4]

A thorough report on this app was conducted by analysts[5].

Mandatory use

Police in China have reportedly forced Uyghurs in Xinjiang to download the application as part of a mass surveillance campaign.[2] They check to ensure that individuals have it installed on their phones, and have arrested individuals who refuse to do so.[2][4]

References
  1. Cox, Joseph (April 9, 2018). "Chinese Government Forces Residents To Install Surveillance App With Awful Security". Vice Media.
  2. Rajagopalan, Megha; Yang, William (April 9, 2018). "China Is Forcing People To Download An App That Tells Them To Delete "Dangerous" Photos". BuzzFeed News.
  3. "An internment camp for 10 million Uyghurs, Meduza visits China's dystopian police state". Medusa Project. 1 October 2018. Retrieved 3 October 2018.
  4. Ashok, India (July 25, 2017). "What is Jingwang? China's Muslim minority forced to install spyware on their phones". International Business Times.
  5. Open Technology Fund. "Jingwang Report" (PDF). opentech.fund. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2018-08-31.
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