3.10.08

You’re watched on TOM-Skype

Security experts from University of Toronto Citizen Lab report that TOM-Skype, Skype’s China venture with TOM, text messages sent between TOM-Skype users and between Skype users and TOM-Skype users, are scanned for phrases like “Taiwan independence” or “Falun Gong” or for opposition to the Communist Party of China. When these keywords are found, the messages and information, such as usernames of subscribers, are stored on publicly accessible Web servers along with an encryption key that could be used to unlock the data.

Jennifer Caukin, a spokewoman of Skype admitted the breach.