Every taxi in Beijing is bugged
If you’re in Beijing for the Olympics kick starting this weekend, don’t be spilling any beans (state secrets or otherwise) in your cab back to the hotel, because you’re being listened to. According to the Wall Street Journal, on your taxi’s dash is a microphone that can be activated remotely, at any time and without the driver’s knowledge, for a live listen into any one of Beijing’s estimated 70,000 cabs. And then, if the folks on the other end don’t like what they hear, they can take things even further.
The GPS-equipped devices also allow for remote disabling by “cutting off the oil or electric supply,” effectively shutting down the engine and keeping it from being restarted. Yikes.
As the State Department has warned, you can expect to be monitored in just about every other place, public or private. It’s doubtful that every cab is being recorded at all times, but the technology is there if necessary.
Comments
Oh my! What exactly are they hoping to catch people talking about?
Big Brother is watching...or in this case, listening.
According to the Chinese government, the mics are for security purposes.
Not that I would, but I would certainly be tempted to talk some sort of goofy nonsense, maybe sing Yankee Doodle or better yet start reading my Bible out loud. Wonder if public restrooms are bugged? That would be gross!