Police in China check people’s phones for the presence of foreign apps, including Instagram, Twitter and the encrypted messaging app Telegram. reports from The Wall Street Journal and CNBC. While both outlets report police stopping people at transportation hubs in Shanghai, William Yang, the East Asia correspondent at the German outlet DW News, says it happens also in Beijing and Hangzhou.
In the capital of China, says Yang that the authorities write down and warn the personal details of anyone they catch using foreign apps. “If they meet resistance, the police would say they can report the person,” he added. These stops can occur anywhere, Yang notes, such as on the street and at mall entrances. Chinese police are also threatening to arrest people for not removing photos of the protests. according to the BBC.
