[trompetenaccoun]

Under Xi the regime has become ever more authoritarian. Chinese citizens are aware of the surveillance but dissidents have been using airdrop for a while now to share anti-government media and information anonymously with random strangers in crowded places, like the subway. The kind of stuff they'd previously share on the internet but which has become too risky.

This has been a thorn in the Party's eye for some time now. If it's true and they cracked it, it would mean the final major way Chinese residents can share information outside of government control is gone. I wouldn't take their word for it though. Announcing it just means Apple would work on a fix. So why not keep it secret and exploit the vulnerability?

[c0nducktr]

> If it's true and they cracked it, it would mean the final major way Chinese residents can share information outside of government control is gone.

Airdrop was the final way? That sounds unlikely. With iPhone marketshare in China at like 20% I would be surprised if it was even the current primary way, let alone the only way.

[smoldesu]

> Announcing it just means Apple would work on a fix.

Bold of you to assume Apple stands up to government surveillance: https://www.macrumors.com/2023/12/06/apple-governments-surve...

[baka367]

Except that this doesn't make things much harder for those willing to share.

If you use your main phone, connected to your sim card - sure it's easy to identify you. OTHO you can just get a burner iPhone 6 or something similar at a flea market, keep it off the Wi-Fi/cellular network and still run the airdrops with little risk of your real id being leaked.

[gaoryrt]

> it would mean the final major way

Highly doubt that.