China surveilling Skype, UPDATE: Skype admits breach, apologizes

Xeni Jardin 12:07 pm Thu Oct 2, 2008

An update on the item blogged here earlier today on Boing Boing:

Skype, the online text messaging and voice service, said Thursday it was "extremely concerned" by monitoring of Internet chat by its Chinese partner reported by Canadian researchers.

Skype said it learned just Wednesday that a previously disclosed text filter operated by TOM-Skype, a joint venture between Chinese mobile firm TOM Online and Skype, had been altered.

"Last night, we learned that this practice was changed without our knowledge or consent and we are extremely concerned," Skype, which is owned by US online auction house eBay, said. "We deeply apologise for the breach of privacy relating to chat messages on TOM's servers in China and we are urgently addressing this situation with TOM," the company said.

More here: Skype admits China privacy breach (AFP, Thanks, Oxblood!)

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