Chinese snoop on Skype, but are they alone? (AP) by Radka Konkolova

We live in the world and time when most of people from developed world can’t imagine their life without technique and electronic gismos. Before they were very happy and satisfied when were able to use ordinary phones. But nowadays they are pickier and demand cell phones and other new inventions.

Recently to the most used form of communication belongs that used thanks and via Internet. People can either write to themselves via e-mails and various messengers or even see each other via web cameras. So they don’t have to use their fingers to hit the keys on their keyboards but they can very simply see and talk to the person sitting opposite, on the second side of the connection. It is very useful for many people, especially for those, who see their relatives from time to time. So now they can feel closer to each other.

But on the other hand, there can be some defects also in such communication. Although communication via Internet reaches much better security and protection than those at phones, people can’t be entirely sure their information or data won’t reach the third person. The most used programme for this purpose worldwide is Skype. This programme should be thoroughly secure and there should be no one who could reach information or data written or said via it. But according to a Canadian researcher a Chinese version of eBay Inc.’s Skype communications software snoops on text that contain certain words.

Else, Skype is very difficult to wiretap, so Skype could let criminals communicate without fear eavesdropping. Skype cooperates with a Skype’s Chinese partner who is a producer of the software which is capable to look for certain sensitive words in text chats and then block those messages from reaching their requested destination. But all of these is not as superb because there is very poor protection of servers where millions such messages have their last stop. So, finally, it is not difficult to eavesdrop and share that information.

I think this topic has been discussed for many times, I mean the way how to acquire secret information from potential terrorists or other danger, but on the other hand, how to keep rights and the privacy of Internet users…

related story: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081002/ap_on_hi_te/tec_skype_eavesdropping;_ylt=AoL7y.R9ThK_q9c9Vcxl3J.s0NUE

by Radka Konkolova for PocketNews (http://pocketnews.tv)

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edited by Beata Biskova