#cyberspace administration of china

[collapsedsquid]

Beijing’s latest attempt to control how artificial intelligence informs Chinese internet users has been rolled out as a chatbot trained on the thoughts of President Xi Jinping. The country’s newest large language model has been learning from its leader’s political philosophy, known as “Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era”, as well as other official literature provided by the Cyberspace Administration of China. “ The expertise and authority of the corpus ensures the professionalism of the generated content,” CAC’s magazine said, in a Monday social media post about the new LLM.

Going to make my own Hu Jintao chatbot and wipe the floor with him

[accio-victuuri]

xiao zhan - shanghai jiuze law firm update on cases

Shanghai Jiuze Law Firm has accepted the entrustment of Xiao Zhan Studio and Xiao Zhan to carry out evidence preservation and litigation protection work and investigate the case where users of relevant online platforms continued to publish information that insulted and slandered Xiao Zhan and other suspected infringements, and allegedly infringed on Xiao Zhan's legal rights and interests.

At present, sina weibo uses “椰饽饽”(UID:5190008370)、“二千的颂伊”(UID: 6459308408); douban users“豆友5516575205”(豆瓣ID:252175254)、“小比爱比饭” (豆瓣ID:213393093) are suspected of fabricating false information, publicly making insulting and defamatory remarks against Xiao Zhan, and infringing on Xiao Zhan's reputation rights. This firm has completed the evidence fixation and will file a lawsuit with the court as soon as possible, requesting the court to order the relevant network platforms to disclose the real name identity information of the involved network users in accordance with the law, and hold them accountable through litigation.

Our firm has now accepted Xiao Zhan’s entrustment to pay close attention to online public opinion, notify relevant online platforms to actively perform their supervisory obligations as network service providers, and promptly take measures such as blocking and disconnecting infringement content that infringes upon Xiao Zhan’s legitimate rights and interests. To avoid further expansion of the damage caused by infringement. We will also continue to collect evidence and hold accountable those who fail to stop the infringement or those with serious infringement, and will never tolerate it, so as to stop the relevant infringement and safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Xiao Zhan.

Our firm is entrusted to remind and advise Internet users: please immediately stop publishing and disseminating remarks that are suspected of infringing on Xiao Zhan’s reputation rights.

Cyberspace is not a place outside the law, and we cannot act arbitrarily without cost or burden. We should actively respond to the relevant clarification special actions launched by the Cyberspace Administration of China to jointly create a civilized and healthy network environment.

[mariacallous]

Every year has its own mix of digital security debacles, from the absurd to the sinister, but 2024 was particularly marked by hacking sprees in which cybercriminals and state-backed espionage groups repeatedly exploited the same weakness or type of target to fuel their frenzy. For attackers, the approach is ruthlessly efficient, but for compromised institutions—and the individuals they serve—the malicious rampages had very real consequences for people's privacy, safety, and security.

As political turmoil and social unrest intensify around the world, 2025 will be a complicated—and potentially explosive—year in cyberspace. But first, here's WIRED's look back on this year's worst breaches, leaks, state-sponsored hacking campaigns, ransomware attacks, and digital extortion cases. Stay alert, and stay safe out there.

China's Salt Typhoon Telecom Breaches

Espionage operations are a fact of life, and relentless Chinese campaigns have been a constant in cyberspace for years now. But the China-linked espionage group Salt Typhoon carried out a particularly noteworthy operation this year, infiltrating a slew of US telecoms including Verizon and AT&T (plus others around the world) for months. And US officials told reporters earlier this month that many victim companies are still actively attempting to remove the hackers from their networks.

The attackers surveilled a small group of people—less than 150 by current count—but they include individuals who were already subject to US wiretap orders as well as state department officials and members of both the Trump and Harris presidential campaigns. Additionally, texts and calls from other people who interacted with the Salt Typhoon targets were inherently also caught up in the espionage scheme.

Snowflake Customer Breaches

Throughout the summer, attackers were on a tear, breaching prominent companies and organizations that were all customers of the cloud data storage company Snowflake. The spree barely qualifies as hacking, since cybercriminals were simply using stolen passwords to log in to Snowflake accounts that didn't have two-factor authentication turned on. The end result, though, was an extraordinary amount of data stolen from victims including Ticketmaster, Santander Bank, and Neiman Marcus. Another prominent victim, the telecom giant AT&T, said in July that “nearly all” records relating to its customers' calls and texts from a seven-month stretch in 2022 were stolen in a Snowflake-related intrusion. The security firm Mandiant, which is owned by Google, said in June that the rampage impacted roughly 165 victims.

In July, Snowflake added a feature so account administrators could make two-factor authentication mandatory for all of their users. In November, suspect Alexander “Connor” Moucka was arrested by Canadian law enforcement for allegedly leading the hacking spree. He was indicted by the US Department of Justice for the Snowflake tear and faces extradition to the US. John Erin Binns, who was arrested in Turkey for an indictment related to a 2021 breach of the telecom T-Mobile, was also indicted on charges related to the Snowflake customer breaches.

Change Healthcare Ransomware Attack

At the end of February, the medical billing and insurance processing company Change Healthcare was hit with a ransomware attack that caused disruptions at hospitals, doctor's offices, pharmacies, and other health care facilities around the US. The attack is one of the all-time largest breaches of medical data, impacting more than 100 million people. The company, which is owned by UnitedHealth, is a dominant medical billing processor in the US. It said days after the attack started that it believed ALPHV/BlackCat, a notorious Russian-speaking ransomware gang, was behind the assault.

Personal data stolen in the attack included patient phone numbers, addresses, banking and other financial information, and health records including diagnoses, prescriptions, and treatment details. The company paid a $22 million ransom to ALPHV/BlackCat at the beginning of March in an attempt to contain the situation. The payment seemingly emboldened attackers to hit health care targets at an even greater rate than usual. With ongoing, rolling notifications to more than 100 million victims—with more still being discovered—lawsuits and other blowback has been mounting. This month, for example, the state of Nebraska sued Change Healthcare, alleging that “failures to implement basic security protections” made the attack much worse than it should have been.

Russia's Midnight Blizzard Hit Microsoft

Microsoft said in January that it had been breached by Russia's “Midnight Blizzard” hackers in an incident that compromised company executives' email accounts. The group is tied to the Kremlin's SVR foreign intelligence agency and is specifically linked to SVR's APT 29, also known as Cozy Bear. After an initial intrusion in November 2023, the attackers targeted and compromised historic Microsoft system test accounts that then allowed them to access what the company said were “a very small percentage of Microsoft corporate email accounts, including members of our senior leadership team and employees in our cybersecurity, legal, and other functions.” From there, the group exfiltrated “some emails and attached documents.” Microsoft said that the attackers seemed to be looking for information about what the company knew about them—in other words, Midnight Blizzard doing reconnaissance on Microsoft's research into the group. Hewlett-Packard Enterprise (HPE) also said in January that it had suffered a corporate email breach attributed to Midnight Blizzard.

National Public Data

The background check company National Public Data suffered a breach in December 2023, and data from the incident started showing up for sale on cybercriminal forums in April 2024. Different configurations of the data cropped up again and again over the summer, culminating in public confirmation of the breach by the company in August. The stolen data included names, Social Security numbers, phone numbers, addresses, and dates of birth. Since National Public Data didn't confirm the breach until August, speculation about the situation grew for months and included theories that the data included tens or even hundreds of millions of Social Security numbers. Though the breach was significant, the true number of impacted individuals seems to be, mercifully, much lower. The company reported in a filing to officials in Maine that the breach affected 1.3 million people. In October, National Public Data's parent company, Jerico Pictures, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization in the Southern District of Florida, citing state and federal investigations into the breach as well as a number of lawsuits that the company is facing over the incident.

Honorable Mention: North Korean Cryptocurrency Theft

A lot of people steal a lot of cryptocurrency every year, including North Korean cybercriminals who have a mandate to help fund the hermit kingdom. A report from the cryptocurrency tracing firm Chainalysis released this month, though, underscores just how aggressive Pyongyang-backed hackers have become. The researchers found that in 2023, hackers affiliated with North Korea stole more than $660 million across 20 attacks. This year, they stole roughly $1.34 billion across 47 incidents. The 2024 figures represent 20 percent of total incidents Chainalysis tracked for the year and a whopping 61 percent of the total funds stolen by all actors.

The sheer domination is impressive, but the researchers emphasize the seriousness of the crimes. “US and international officials have assessed that Pyongyang uses the crypto it steals to finance its weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles programs, endangering international security,” Chainalysis wrote.

[allthegeopolitics]

Apple has removed the Meta-owned end-to-end encrypted messaging app WhatsApp from its App Store in China following a government order citing national security concerns, the news agency Reuters reported Friday. Meta’s newer, Twitter-esque text-based social networking app, Threads, has also been pulled from the App Store for the same reason, it said. “The Cyberspace Administration of China ordered the removal of these apps from the China storefront based on their national security concerns,” Apple said in a statement sent to the news agency.

Continue Reading.

[ainulassyakirin]

Week 11 China Case Study: The Impact of Social Media Bans on Chinese Users and Global Connections

Let's say you're on your lunch break and you're looking through Douyin, which is like TikTok in China. It's funny to see someone mess up their cooking one minute and then see someone sipping champagne on a yacht while wearing designer labels you can't even say the next. Interesting? Yes. Feeling it? Not really.

The Chinese government thinks it's even more dangerous than tone-deaf. That's why they started an effort to stop influencers from showing off their money. It's not just about getting rid of flashy posts, though. This is part of a much bigger story about freedom, control, and what happens when the internet turns into a fight for values.

The Ban on Flaunting Wealth

As part of the Qinglang campaign, this new trend aims to stop people from "flaunting their wealth." The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) isn't messing around; they've already banned the accounts of Wang Hongquan and Bo Gongzi for showing off their expensive lives. Picture closets full of Hermès bags, fancy cars, and private jets.

The government says that these posts make people angry and unhappy, especially when the economy is getting worse. It's terrible to be unable to pay your rent while someone is opening their third Rolex of the month. It's not just about money, though. The ad is part of a bigger story that rejects "money worship" and encourages modesty.

It's like the government is telling them, "We watch your yacht and raise you with virtues and social stability."

A Wave Across Borders

This crackdown doesn't end when you leave China's internet borders. Many users and leaders are continuing to share their content on sites like YouTube and X (formerly Twitter). But here's where things get tricky: reports say that Chinese authorities are looking into people who follow these banned influencers, even on sites outside of China.

This makes me think a lot about free speech and privacy. How much power should the government have, especially when it affects more than just its own people? People who care about human rights are pushing for these people to be protected, but the situation is still not clear.

It's funny that while Beijing tries to control the news at home, a lot of Chinese people are using VPNs to get around restrictions and access foreign platforms. It's like squeezing sand into your hand and the more you try, the more you let go.

The Real Side

What about the people who are in the middle of all this? That's when things get close. For many influential people, showing off their money wasn't just for fun; it was how they made a living. An ex-influencer named Lyla Lai talked about the backlash she got from watchers who didn't like how different their real lives were from their online fantasies.

Being exposed to unrealistic lives all the time can make you lose your mind. You start to think that their private jet is better than yours and that your packed lunch is better than their meals with Michelin stars. It's hard not to feel like you're losing in life's unspoken race, even if you're happy most of the time.

There is some truth to the idea that better online spaces should exist, but the main problem is figuring out what "healthy" really means. Should the government tell people what they can post or read?

Control is what this crackdown is all about, not just influencers or flashy material. It's about a government that controls stories, shapes ideals, and keeps things stable by using digital platforms. It's also about regular people—Chinese internet users who are finding it harder to use the internet because it's getting smaller while they want more freedom and connection.

It's a lesson of how the internet can both bring people together and push them apart. Since the internet is more than just information, people will always find ways to get around restrictions. There's a desire to be a part of something bigger, to be curious, and to connect with other people.

My Last Thoughts

China's crackdown on influencers who show off their money is a stark example of how the digital world is a lot like real life: it's messy, confusing, and full of contradictions. People will always look for places where they can easily express themselves, even if they have to climb the Great Firewall to do so. This is true even though the government tries to stop people from being unhappy and reinforce its values.

There's no denying that the internet is both free and controlled, whether you're an influencer, a fan, or just someone looking for memes. That's a good thing to talk about, whether you're eating gold or instant noodles.

This is the end of it... BYE BYE BYE !!

799 words

References

Chen, D., & Gao, G. (2024, June 24). China’s crackdown on “wealth-flaunting” social media puts pressure on influencers − both on the mainland and in taiwan − to echo the party line. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/chinas-crackdown-on-wealth-flaunting-social-media-puts-pressure-on-influencers-both-on-the-mainland-and-in-taiwan-to-echo-the-party-line-231224

Jett, J., & Zhu, J. (2024, May 29). China is banning “wealth-flaunting” behavior on social media. NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/china-banning-wealth-flaunting-behavior-social-media-rcna154240

Zhang, A. (2024, February 27). China users on banned social platforms need protection, advocates say. Voice of America. https://www.voanews.com/a/china-users-on-banned-social-platforms-need-protection-advocates-say/7505043.html

[p-h03n1-x]

Yibo Official Weibo update 2.8.2024 (part 6 of 6) Welcome to play UNIQ-Wang Yibo’s key frames of the year. Recall frame by frame, wonderful and colorful. Indulge in the beautiful changes of light and shadow, enjoy expressing your true self in music, explore the unknown in different fields, and progress in life. Keyframes are drawn one by one on the strip. In 2023, you will be rewarded with diligent study and hard work, and in 2024, we will embark on a new journey with steady steps! A new chapter is about to begin. I wish you all to move forward in the Year of the Dragon, and be happy and prosperous!

Part 6 Social Responsibility

Youth Responsibility / Public Welfare Empowerment

"The light of the fireflies, eventually converges into the brilliant galaxy."

Luoyang Cultural Tourism Image Ambassador·

Promotion Ambassador of Luoyang Museum·

·Ice and Snow Sports Promotion Ambassador·

China Skateboarding Promotion Ambassador

China’s Top Dancer Promotion Ambassador·

WildAid Charity Ambassador

Emergency Management Publicity Ambassador

Luoyang Fire Protection Publicity Envoy

Reading Lei Feng’s diary to pay tribute to Lei Feng’s spirit

Literary and artistic volunteers walk with the people

Cyberspace Administration of China # Light Up the Light of Internet # Outstanding Youth Representatives

CALL for the Chengdu Universiade

Appeared in Hangzhou Asian Games· Break dance promotional video "Just Burning"

Lead by example and deliver positive energy

The year is over, the new year is waiting for 2024

Link here for parts 1-5

[bizarrequazar]

GJ and ZZH Updates — July 09-15

<<< previous week || all posts || following week >>> 

This is part of a weekly series collecting updates from and relating to Gong Jun and Zhang Zhehan.

This post is not wholly comprehensive and is intended as an overview, links provided lead to further details. Dates are in accordance with China Standard Time, the organization is chronological. My own biases on some things are reflected here. Anything I include that is not concretely known is indicated as such, and you’re welcome to do your own research and draw your own conclusions as you see fit. Please let me know if you have any questions, comments, concerns, or additions. :)

[Glossary of names and terms] [Masterlist of my posts about the situation with Zhang Zhehan]

07-09 → #WordofHonor trended on Twitter.

07-10 → The Cyberspace Administration of China announced thirteen new regulations for improving news media transparency and authentication. This includes clear display of platform qualifications and affiliations, clear citation and dating of sources, labelling of if content is disputed, include clarifying updates at the top of articles, and removal of content found to be rumor-mongering. 

→ Hogan posted a photo of Gong Jun from Go Fighting! episode 6, highlighting their shoes.

07-11 → Fresh posted a photo ad featuring Gong Jun. (1129 kadian)

07-12 → A very tiny text announcement appeared between TV programs announcing that Legend of Anle would be premiering that evening. 😅

→ The Legend of Anle Weibo posted promotional posters of its main cast.

→ Gong Jun posted the same promotional poster of himself in Legend of Anle. Caption: “For the country, the people, and the long-term happiness, I will never change my promise for ten years.” This was reposted by his studio, added caption: “Protecting the common people also protects one person. Prince Han Ye @ Gong Jun Simon is online today, we sincerely invite everyone to enjoy the sight of Dajing together!” It was also reposted by 361°, Deeyeo, and Zhenguoli.

→ Gong Jun’s studio posted a promotional still of Gong Jun in Legend of Anle. Caption: “The emperor's destiny is to rule the world, and to control the crisis with one hand. ‘The Legend of Anle’ starts broadcasting today, and we go to the Dajing and the prosperous world together with Prince Han Ye @ Gong Jun Simon.” The studio also changed their header and pfp to Han Ye.

→ The first episode of Legend of Anle was released!!! More episodes would be released in quick succession over the remainder of the week, links at the bottom of this post.

→ The Legend of Anle Weibo posted a promotional poster of Dilireba and Gong Jun’s characters. Caption: “Flowers rise with the wind, the eyes are full of affection; the love is long, the beauties accompany each other.”

→ Fresh posted a photo ad featuring Gong Jun.

→ Zhenguoli posted a still from Legend of Anle doubling as a photo ad for them. They posted several more like this over the following days, I’m not including them all sorry. 

→ Gong Jun’s studio posted a douyin of shots of Han Ye. Caption: “A young master like whirling snow, his highness the magnificent @ Gong Jun Simon is indeed a talented person~”

→ The Legend of Anle Weibo posted a character relationships chart. Caption: “Ten years of confusion, cause and effect linger; emotions are intricate, everything has a definite number. A picture shows you the relationship between the characters of Dajing, wait for more exciting content to be unlocked~”

→ Gong Jun’s studio made a new Weibo account (Gong Jun Outdoor Office) that seems to be for posting small personal promotional material for Legend of Anle. They posted a short behind the scenes clip. Caption: “Officially camping, let's start with some small materials~”

→ The Legend of Anle Weibo posted promotional stills of its main cast. Caption: “Bright and shining teeth are moving in the heart, a gentleman is full of loyalty and magnanimity, when the time comes, we will meet each other happily.”

→ Gong Jun’s studio posted a video of behind the scenes footage from a Legend of Anle photoshoot. Caption: “His eyebrows are picturesque, shining brightly. Thinking day and night, Ye is here!”

→ #GongJun and #LegendofAnle trended on Twitter and would continue to do so periodically for the rest of the week, #Legend of Anle# #Legend of Anle airing#, #Legend of Anle premiere feedback#, #Gong Jun acting#, and #The Legend of Anle and the Landscape Reflecting the World Poster# got on Weibo hotsearch.

07-13 → People’s Daily posted an article announcing new measures against abuse of generative AI being implemented by seven government agencies effective 08-15 (a rather interesting choice in date). This includes regulations against infringement of portrait rights, spreading of misinformation, and manipulation of data security. 

→ The Legend of Anle Weibo posted promotional posters of the show’s couples. Caption: “One word with one heart, one glance to determine the deep love, pray for the same journey, and hope to stay together.” They also posted another poster of the main cast shortly after. Caption: “The flames of war are flying, fate is entangled, love is longing, blood is burning forever, guarding the frontier and creating a prosperous world.”

→ Gong Jun Outdoor Office posted two doodles of a glass, posted eleven minutes apart. [1] [2] Captions: “What happened to our prince's painting? The cup is a cup of juice! #Han Ye painting vs Gong Jun painting#” and “Advanced version, it's not an exaggeration to say that it’s lifelike, right? #Han Ye painting vs Gong Jun painting#” Gong Jun commented “Absurd!” on the latter post, to which the account replied “Your Highness calm down orz”

→ Dengta Data released statistics showing that Legend of Anle was the most streamed show that day. 

→ The Instagram posted ten photos of “Zhang Zhehan” and traditional architecture. (Someone’s jealous.) On a related note, whalers lost their shit trying to make excuses because the scam had repeatedly said that none of Gong Jun’s upcoming dramas would ever air. 🤡

→ The Legend of Anle Weibo posted a comedy trailer for the show.

→ Gong Jun’s studio posted a promotional poster for Legend of Anle.

→ Gong Jun’s studio posted a video of behind the scenes footage from Legend of Anle. [subbed video] Caption: “Let’s advance the schedule first, and His Royal Highness @ Gong Jun Simon’s daily life is also extraordinary. See you at 18:00!”

→ Gong Jun Outdoor Office posted a photo of Han Ye. Caption: “The crown prince is watching u 👀”

→ Gong Jun posted a gif of shots of Han Ye. Caption: “Your face viewing balance is insufficient, please move to #Legend of Anle# to watch.” His studio reposted this with the added caption: “The small studio’s turn~ Tonight on Youku, let’s unlock more face-watching credits with Prince Han Ye @ Gong Jun Simon!” 

→ Gong Jun Outdoor Office posted two photos of Han Ye. Caption: “Pay a little attention to not get lost, the office has more goodies”

→ The Legend of Anle Weibo posted three promotional stills featuring Gong Jun. 

→ Gong Jun Outdoor Office posted two close up photos of Gong Jun. Caption: “Thank you for your invitation, this is the office area with original curtains”

07-14 → Gong Jun’s studio posted a promotional still of Han Ye. Caption: “The spirit and elegance are admired by the world, and the richness and talent are brought out to the fullest. ‘The Legend of Anle’ has reached 8,000 popularity on Youku! His Royal Highness @ Gong Jun Simon thanks you for your support!”

→ Gong Jun Outdoor Office posted a video of behind the scenes footage of him in Han Ye’s costume from the L’Officiel photoshoot released 05-19. BGM is Lan Ting Xu by Jay Chou.

→ Bluebird tweeted about recent activity on Xiao Yu’s Weibo account, which had posted a selfie of “Xiao Yu” the previous day and immediately blocked someone who asked if Lexus was the one running the account. Anatomical comparisons and things present in photos suggest that recent photos posted by the account are from Lexus and Hewitt, and the latter is believed to be the one primarily managing the account. It has been known since last year that the scam gang had gotten access to it via the registration phone number, but they hadn’t yet done much with it.

→ The Instagram posted another cringey dancing video. Apparently this is their new story arc.

→ The Legend of Anle Weibo posted another behind the scenes clip. 

→ Gong Jun’s studio posted six gifs of Han Ye. Caption: “On the last working day of this week, His Royal Highness @ Gong Jun Simon will check in at court!”

→ Gong Jun’s studio posted a douyin of Legend of Anle behind the scenes shots. “Gong Jun is is calm and relaxed, not slow or sick. His Royal Highness @ Gong Jun Simon is really handsome!”

→ Gong Jun’s studio posted two promotional images of Han Ye. Caption: “What is a prince? Yes, It is both civil and military, and it responds to everyone! He is the ultimate careful gentleman and Gentle King! Han Ye @ Gong Jun Simon. It's a bit difficult to choose the material for this calling, so you have to have both~”

→ Gong Jun’s studio posted a picture comic about Legend of Anle’s first story arc. Caption: “Strategized and insightful, the case of imperial examination fraud finally came to light and was successfully solved! His Royal Highness @ Gong Jun Simon’s detective notes are here to restore the context of the case and see how His Highness can make good decisions!”

→ Gong Jun’s studio posted a video with original voice clips of Han Ye. Caption: “Continue continue! Unlock more of His Royal Highness @ Gong Jun Simon’s behind the scenes~” The same was also posted to their Douyin.

→ Gong Jun posted a video of himself watching Legend of Anle. Caption: “Your Highness is tired from kneeling, let me wipe your sweat off.” This was reposted by his studio with the added caption, “Even if Crown Prince @ Gong Jun Simon knelt all night, he still has the demeanor of a top Gentle King!”

07-15 → Gong Jun’s Outdoor Office posted two photos of Gong Jun watching Legend of Anle. Caption: “Sir Ye is wiping off Sir Ye’s sweat.” (Referring to Ye Qian, Gong Jun’s character in the drama he’s currently filming, and Han Ye, his Anle character.)

→ The Legend of Anle Weibo posted a music video for the show’s opening theme.

→ The Legend of Anle Weibo posted another behind the scenes clip.

→ Another airport Zhang Sanjian. 🙄

→ Gong Jun’s studio posted the airing schedule for Legend of Anle. Caption: “The prince's great cause is divided into stages! Here is the calendar of upcoming episodes, remember to lock it on time, Han Ye @ Gong Jun Simon will see you every day”

→ Gong Jun’s studio posted a video of drunk Han Ye. [subbed video] Caption: “Just pour a cup, turn it over as soon as you drink it, and the prince will get drunk and lose his mind? I support Han Ye’s freedom to go up a tree after drinking, but I suggest that His Royal Highness @ Gong Jun Simon sit at the children's table next time~” This was also posted to their Douyin.

→ Gong Jun’s studio posted an image celebrating Legend of Anle reaching a new popularity milestone. Caption: “His Highness the Prince of Wisdom and Bravery @ Gong Jun Simon can defend against enemies and destroy pirates, and can solve fraud cases intelligently. ‘The Legend of An Le’ has reached 9,000 popularity on Youku! Thank you for your support!” Another image was also posted by the Legend of Anle Weibo for the same thing.

→ Gong Jun’s Outdoor Office posted a clip of Gong Jun resting in his trailer during Anle filming. Caption: “The years are quiet, His Highness is in a stable mood, very good.”

→The Legend of Anle Weibo posted another behind the scenes video.

→ Gong Jun posted two gifs of Han Ye. Caption: “‘Ye’ got drunk tonight, it’s time to practice drinking.” This was reposted by the Legend of Anle Weibo.

→ Gong Jun’s studio posted a behind the scenes video. Caption: “As strong as a swimming dragon, with full force! His Royal Highness @ Gong Jun Simon's acting highlights have been loaded, watch Han Ye easily defeat the enemy one by one~”

→ The Instagram posted three photo of “Zhang Zhehan” singing.

Additional Reading: → Legend of Anle links: [YouTube (free eps only)] [YOUKU app (free and VIP)] The current schedule is 1 free episode per day and 1-2 VIP episodes. → I definitely missed some of the Anle stuff but there is just. so much. I’m intentionally refraining from including promotional posts that are just clips from the show, but if there are other things I missed feel free to DM me about them.

<<< previous week || all posts || following week >>>

[argumate]

In full, the Cyberspace Administration of China’s draft rule reads: “AI-produced content created through generative models must embody core socialist values and must not have any content that subverts state power, undermines the socialist system, incites separatism, harms national unity, or promotes terrorism, extremism, hatred between nationalities, racial discrimination, violence, obscene or pornographic content, fake news, or any other content that might disrupt the economic and social order.” If adopted, the guideline seems to be emblematic of the government censorship that may be inhibiting the development of China’s domestic AI industry, best captured by the popular online joke: “We need to teach machines not only how to speak, but also how not to speak.”

[beardedmrbean]

The Chinese Communist Party escalated its persecution of Christians throughout 2022 as the country clamped down on churches and online religious content while demanding allegiance to Chinese President Xi Jinping, according to a watchdog group.

A report released last week by the U.S.-based non-governmental organization ChinaAid warned that the Chinese government is using charges of "fraud" to financially suffocate the house church movement, which consists of Christian congregations that have not registered with China's official Protestant church.

Authorities are using the traditional Christian practice of giving tithes and offerings to trump up charges against house churches under the "Measures for the Financial Management of Religious Activity Venues," which were updated last June, according to the report. The report noted that multiple house church pastors and elders have been jailed and potentially face years in prison.

CARDINAL JOSEPH ZEN, 90, BEGINS TRIAL IN HONG KONG ON CHARGES OF FOREIGN COLLUSION

ChinaAid president and founder Bob Fu said in a statement that his organization is also "gravely concerned" with how state-sanctioned churches are being treated in China, which has approximately 96.7 million Christians, according to persecution watchdog Open Doors.

"By using the new measures against religious content online and the infamous 'zero-COVID' policy, authorities limited or eliminated Christian gatherings," said Fu.

The Chinese government is also cracking down on Christian websites and apps in an attempt to "remove Christianity from cyberspace," according to ChinaAid.

Following the implementation of the "Administrative Measures for Internet Religious Information and Services" in 2022, censorship of online Christian content — including even in group chats — has reached an "unprecedented" level, the report warned.

PASTOR FACING 10 YEARS IN PRISON FOR PREACHING AT CANADA TRUCKER BLOCKADE PROTESTING VACCINE MANDATES

CathAssist, which became China's first Christian phone app in 2013, was among those that were shut down under the new regulations because they were unable to obtain a license. ChinaAid's report said the app "did not meet the government's requirements for the license, despite having taken various actions including suspending sharing, changing its name, and modifying content."

Fu also noted that while the Chinese government has long demanded sole allegiance to the Communist Party, in recent years it has been emphasizing allegiance to Jinping.

"Before, during, and after the opening of the Congress, China's state-run religious groups lavished compliments and praise on Xi with more extravagant words and phrases than China's state-run media, showing that religious Sinicization is evolving from supporting the CCP to worship and allegiance to Xi Jinping," the report said.

"Their goal is not only to curate a ‘socialist-friendly’ church; they hope to erase it," said Fu. "The international community needs to know about these trends and developments as China continues to rise on the global stage."

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Rob Rogers

* * * *

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

April 16, 2023

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

APR 17, 2023

A few quick notes tonight about some ongoing stories: There is more news about Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and his misreporting of his financial connections. This morning, Shawn Boburg and Emma Brown of the Washington Post reported that for twenty years, Thomas has reported rental income totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars from a real estate firm that was shut down in 2006. The misstatement might be dismissed as a problem with paperwork, the authors note. “But it is among a series of errors and omissions that Thomas has made on required annual financial disclosure forms over the past several decades, a review of those records shows. Together, they have raised questions about how seriously Thomas views his responsibility to accurately report details about his finances to the public.” The cascade of stories about Thomas threatens to continue to undermine the legitimacy of this Supreme Court. Last night, the nation suffered one mass shooting in Dadeville, Alabama, that killed four people and wounded twenty-eight others, and another in Louisville, Kentucky, that killed two and wounded four. On Friday, Republican hopefuls for the 2024 presidential nomination courted members of the National Rifle Association, the NRA, at the organization’s 2023 annual convention, promising looser gun laws. South Dakota governor Kristi Noem complained about liberals who “want to take our guns,” and boasted that her granddaughter, who is not yet two, has a shotgun and a rifle. Meanwhile, the Biden administration continues to focus on rebalancing the Indo-Pacific to counter China. Just two weeks after the fiftieth anniversary of the U.S. withdrawal from Vietnam and nearly thirty years after the restoration of diplomatic ties in 1995, the U.S. has broken ground on a new $1.2 billion embassy compound in the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh yesterday and vowed to “broaden and deepen” relations between the two countries. Vice President Kamala Harris, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai, U.S. Agency for International Development administrator Samantha Power, and members of Congress have all visited Vietnam recently as part of a long-term strategy to help area friends and allies counterbalance China in the Indo-Pacific region. Yesterday, Blinken emphasized how the U.S. and Vietnam, working together, “can advance a free and open Indo-Pacific, one that is at peace and grounded in respect for the rules-based international order.” But, as Vietnam has a one-party communist government, he explained, “When we talk about ‘free and open,’ we mean countries being free to choose their own path and their own partners and that problems will be dealt with openly; rules will be reached transparently and applied fairly; and goods, ideas, and people will flow freely across land, the seas, the skies, and cyberspace.” Vice President Harris spoke yesterday at a march for reproductive rights in Los Angeles, where she emphasized how deeply our international standing depends on our commitment to freedom at home. “I’ve been traveling around the world as your Vice President,” she said. “When we, as Americans, walk in those rooms around the world, we have traditionally walked in those rooms, shoulders back, chin up, having some authority to talk about the importance of rule of law, human rights. “But here’s the thing we all know about what it means to be a role model: People watch what you do to see if it matches what you say. So let us understand that what is happening in our nation right now, by extension, can impact people around the world who dare to say, ‘I want my country to be like the United States and protect rights.’ And those autocrats and those dictators might look at those folks and say, ‘What are you pointing to as the example?’” “We are seeing, around the country, in a myriad of ways, those who would dare to attack fundamental rights and, by extension, attack our democracy,” Harris said. “Around our country, supposed so-called extremist leaders…dare to silence the voices of the people.” “A United States Supreme Court, the highest court in our land, that took a constitutional right that had been recognized from the people of America. “We have seen attacks on voting rights; attacks on fundamental rights to love and marry the people that you love; attacks on the ability of people to be themselves and be proud of who they are. “And so, this is a moment that history will show required each of us, based on our collective love of our country, to stand up and fight for and protect our ideals…. [W]e have been called upon to be the next generation of the people who will help lead and fight in this movement for freedom and liberty based on our love of our country…. [W]e stand for our democracy. And we stand for foundational and fundamental principles that have everything to do with freedom, liberty, and equality for all people.”

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LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

[qubixo1]

The US Names One of the Pirates Allegedly Caused by the Salt Storm Explosion

As the Biden administration comes to an end, the White House released a Thursday’s 40-page executive order aims to strengthen cybersecurity protections and putting safeguards on the US government’s use of AI. WIRED also spoke with the outgoing US ambassador to cyberspace and digital media, Nathaniel Fick, about the urgency to keep the Trump administration from beefing with Russia and China at the…

[top4allo]

The United States called one of the pirates who allegedly behind the massive violations of typhoon salt

When the Biden administration comes to an end, the White House released a 40-page executive order Thursday aimed at bolstering federal cybersecurity protections and put guardrails on the US government’s use of AI. WIRED also spoke with the outgoing US ambassador for cyberspace and digital policy, Nathaniel Fick, about the urgency that the Trump administration does not cow to Russia and China in…

[accio-victuuri]

xiao zhan - shanghai juze law firm statement

Shanghai Jiuze Law Firm (hereinafter referred to as "the Firm") has accepted the commission of Xiao Zhan Studio and Mr. Xiao Zhan to carry out evidence preservation and litigation rights protection work for suspected infringement of Mr. Xiao Zhan's reputation and other legitimate rights and interests by users of relevant online platforms who continue to post insulting and defamatory information about him.

At present, the real name information of online users suspected of infringement, such as Sina Weibo users "超急玛丽" (UID: 3121714161) and "thelastholle" (UID: 3938716772), has been determined in accordance with the law. For online users whose subject information has been determined in accordance with the law, our firm will file a lawsuit with the court based on authorization, requesting the court to order the relevant infringing parties to bear legal responsibilities for infringement, such as apology, compensation for mental damages, and all rights protection costs; In response to Sina Weibo users such as "露著晚瓜田" (UID: 7484772739), "安折说夫人的玫瑰花凋谢了" (UID: 7808747484), "明月别枝了" (UID: 3265906365), "西风染流年" (UID: 2715477801), etc., who fabricated false information and publicly made insulting and defamatory remarks against Mr. Xiao Zhan, suspected of seriously infringing on Mr. Xiao Zhan's reputation rights, our firm has completed the evidence requisition and will file a lawsuit with the court as soon as possible, requesting the court to order the relevant network platforms to disclose the real name identity information of the involved network users in accordance with the law and pursue legal responsibility through litigation.

We have now accepted Mr. Xiao Zhan's commission to closely monitor online public opinion, notify relevant online platforms to actively fulfill their regulatory obligations as network service providers, and take timely measures such as blocking and disconnecting infringing content that infringes on Mr. Xiao Zhan's legitimate rights and interests, in order to avoid further expansion of the damage caused by infringement. We will also continue to collect evidence and hold accountable those who are negligent in stopping infringement and those who have committed serious infringement, without any tolerance, in order to stop related infringement and safeguard Mr. Xiao Zhan's legitimate rights and interests.

We hereby remind and urge online users to immediately stop publishing and disseminating statements that are suspected of infringing on Mr. Xiao Zhan's reputation rights. The cyberspace is not a lawless place, we cannot act recklessly without any consequences. We should actively respond to the clear (qinglang) online environment campaign launched by the Cyberspace Administration of China, and jointly create a civilized and healthy online environment.

上海九泽律师事务所

Shanghai Jiuze Law Firm

[mariacallous]

As the Biden administration comes to a close, the White House released a 40-page executive order on Thursday aimed at shoring up federal cybersecurity protections and placing guardrails on the US government’s use of AI. WIRED also spoke with outgoing US ambassador for cyberspace and digital policy, Nathaniel Fick, about the urgency that the Trump administration not cow to Russia and China in the global race for technical dominance. Outgoing FCC chair Jessica Rosenworcel details to WIRED the threats facing US telecoms, at least nine of which were recently breached by China’s Salt Typhoon hackers. Meanwhile, US officials are still scrambling to get a handle on multiple espionage campaigns and other data breaches, with new revelations this week that a breach of AT&T disclosed last summer compromised FBI call and text logs that could reveal the identity of anonymous sources.

Huione Guarantee, the massive online marketplace that researchers say provides an array of services to online scammers, is expanding its offerings to include a messaging app, stablecoin, and crypto exchange and has facilitated a whopping $24 billion in transactions, according to new research. New findings indicate that GitHub’s efforts to crack down on the use of deepfake porn software are falling short. And WIRED did a deep dive into the opaque world of predictive travel surveillance and the companies and governments that are pumping data about international travelers into AI tools meant to detect people who might be a “threat.”

But wait, there's more! Each week, we round up the security and privacy news we didn’t cover in depth ourselves. Click the headlines to read the full stories. And stay safe out there.

US Names One of the Chinese Hackers Allegedly Behind Massive Salt Typhoon Intrusions

China spies, the US spies, everybody spies. Mutual espionage is a geopolitical game played by virtually every nation in the world. So when the US government singles out a single hacker for espionage-focused intrusions, naming him and targeting him with sanctions, he must have spied aggressively—or effectively—enough to have made powerful people very angry.

The US Treasury on Friday imposed sanctions on Yin Kecheng, a 39-year old Chinese man accused of being involved in both the breach of nine US telecommunications companies carried out by the Chinese hacker group known as Salt Typhoon, as well as another recent breach of the US Treasury. In a statement about the news, Treasury alleges that Yin is affiliated with China’s Ministry of State Security and has been a “cyber actor” for over a decade. It also imposed sanctions on Sichuan Juxinhe Network Technology, a company that Treasury says is also associated with Salt Typhoon.

Salt Typhoon’s breach of US telecoms gave Chinese hackers enormous access to the real-time texts and phone calls of Americans, and was reportedly used to spy on president-elect Donald Trump and vice president-elect JD Vance, among other targets. FBI director Christopher Wray has called the telecom breaches China’s "most significant cyberespionage campaign in history.”

China’s Silk Typhoon Hackers Targeted Sanctions and Intelligence in Treasury Breach

As the Treasury hits back at China’s spy operations, it’s also still working to determine the scope of the intrusion some of those same hackers carried out inside its network. An internal Treasury report obtained by Bloomberg found that hackers had penetrated at least 400 of the agency’s PCs and stolen more than 3,000 files in a recent breach. The espionage-focused intrusion appears to have gone after sanctions and law-enforcement related information, the report found, as well as other intelligence materials. Despite that vast access, the intruders didn’t gain access to Treasury’s emails or classified portions of its network, the report states, nor did they leave behind malware that would suggest an attempt at maintaining longer-term access.

FBI Uninstalls Chinese PlugX Malware From Thousands of Machines

The Justice Department revealed this week that the FBI carried out an operation to delete a specimen of malware known as PlugX from 4,200 computers around the world. The malware, which was typically transmitted to computers via infected USB drives, has persisted for at least a decade and been used at times by Chinese state-sponsored hacker groups to target Chinese dissidents. In July of last year, cybersecurity firm Sekoia and French law enforcement took over the command-and-control server behind the malware. This week, the FBI obtained a court order that allowed the bureau to send a self-destruct command to the software on infected machines.

Victims of “PowerSchool” Edtech Data Breach Say “All” of Their Student and Teacher Info Was Stolen

After news earlier this week of a cyberattack in December that breached the US education technology platform PowerSchool, school districts targeted in the intrusion told TechCrunch on Thursday that attackers gained access to “all” stored student and teacher data in their accounts. PowerSchool is used by more than 60 million K-12 students in the US. Hackers gained access to the information by stealing login credentials that gave them access to the company’s customer support portal. The attack has not yet been publicly linked to a specific perpetrator. PowerSchool has not yet disclosed the exact number of victim schools nor whether all of its customers were affected.

[ivankahasbeentreatedsounfairly]

By Russel L. Honoré

Lt. Gen. Honoré retired from the U.S. Army in 2008.

It is now fair to ask the question: Is Elon Musk a national security risk?

According to numerous interviews and remarks, Mr. Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency co-leader, Vivek Ramaswamy, once appeared to believe he was. In May 2023, Mr. Ramaswamy went so far as to publicly state, “I have no reason to think Elon won’t jump like a circus monkey when Xi Jinping calls in the hour of need,” a reference to China’s leader. In a separate X post targeting Mr. Musk, he wrote, “the U.S. needs leaders who aren’t in China’s pocket.”

Mr. Ramaswamy has since walked back his numerous public criticisms of Mr. Musk, but he was right to raise concerns. According to news reports, Mr. Musk and his rocket company, SpaceX, face federal reviews from the Air Force, the Defense Department’s Office of Inspector General and the under secretary of defense for intelligence and security for failing to provide details of Mr. Musk’s meetings with foreign leaders and other potential violations of national-security rules.

These alleged infractions are just the beginning of my worries. Mr. Musk’s business ventures are heavily reliant on China. He borrowed at least $1.4 billion from banks controlled by the Chinese government to help build Tesla’s Shanghai gigafactory, which was responsible for more than half of Tesla’s global deliveries in the third quarter of 2024.

China does not tend to give things away. The country’s laws stipulate that the Communist Party can demand intelligence from any company doing business in China, in exchange for participating in the country’s markets.

This means Mr. Musk’s business dealings in China could require him to hand over sensitive classified information, learned either through his business interests or his proximity to President-elect Donald Trump. No federal agency has accused him of disclosing such material, but as Mr. Ramaswamy put it, China has recognized that U.S. companies are fickle. He added, “If Xi Jinping says ‘jump,’ they’ll say, ‘How high?’”

Mr. Musk’s relationship with China’s leaders could prove a problem for America’s national security given that SpaceX has a near monopoly on the United States’ rocket launches. The United States is in an intense space race with China. In a May interview, Maj. Gen. Gregory J. Gagnon, the deputy chief of space operations for intelligence at the U.S. Space Force, said that there has never been a buildup comparable to what the Chinese are attempting in space — not even during World War II — and that “an adversary arming this fast is profoundly concerning.” The last thing the United States needs is for China to potentially have an easier way of obtaining classified intelligence and national security information.

Mr. Musk already has a history of pleasing the Chinese Communist Party. He heaped praise on Mr. Xi to commemorate the party’s 100th anniversary. In 2022, earning thanks from Chinese officials, he went to bat for the party by arguing that Taiwan should become a special administrative region of China.

In May 2023, Mr. Musk also reportedly told Qin Gang, then the Chinese foreign minister, that Tesla opposed the United States decoupling from China, stating that U.S. and Chinese interests are “intertwined like conjoined twins.”

Although claiming to be a free-speech advocate, Mr. Musk was the first foreigner to contribute an article to China Cyberspace, a magazine that is run by the Communist regime’s internet censorship agency.

Chris Stewart, a Republican former congressman and senior member of the House Intelligence Committee, whom Mr. Trump reportedly considered nominating as director of national intelligence, once pushed for closed-door briefings on Mr. Musk’s China ties. Mr. Trump’s choice for secretary of state, Senator Marco Rubio, who previously accused Tesla of covering up for the Chinese Communist Party, introduced a bill to prevent NASA and other federal agencies from giving contracts to companies linked to China or Russia.

The question now is whether the incoming Trump administration will take this risk seriously.

Mr. Musk is one of Mr. Trump’s top advisers. Mr. Trump may have gone so far as to reject a bipartisan congressional budget measure because it did not have Mr. Musk’s stamp of approval. In November, after his election, Mr. Trump traveled to Texas to watchMr. Musk’s Starship launch. That is fine, but doing nothing to ensure America’s space apparatus remains secure from potential vulnerabilities would not be.

The Musk-China concerns might just represent the beginning. In a November letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland and the Pentagon’s inspector general, two Democratic senators asked that they investigate Mr. Musk’s “reliability as a government contractor and a clearance holder” because of his reported conversations with Vladimir Putin and other Russian officials. In a separate letter, the senators asked the Air Force secretary, Frank Kendall, to reconsider SpaceX’s “outsized role” in America’s commercial space integration. Mr. Kendall wrote back stating that, while he was legally prohibited from discussing Mr. Musk’s case, he shared their concerns.

If the federal investigations demonstrate deep connections to China and Russia, the federal government should consider revoking Mr. Musk’s security clearance. It should already be thinking about using alternatives to SpaceX’s launch services.

The fact that Mr. Musk spent a quarter of a billion dollars to help re-elect Mr. Trump does not give the incoming White House the license to look the other way at the national security risks he may pose. If Mr. Trump and his appointees mean what they say about getting tough on America’s adversaries, then they will act on this matter without delay. There is too much at stake to ignore what’s right in front of them.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/29/opinion/elon-musk-china-classified-secrets-national-security-russia-doge.html