China has reportedly imposed a ban on use of internet-connected wearable tech by its armed forces in lieu of security concerns.
According to a report on People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Daily, which is the official newspaper of the Chinese military, the Chinese army has imposed such a ban on use of smartwatches, high-tech spectacles and other internet-connected wearable gadgets as it believes that use of such technology could actually hamper the government’s effort to boost the cyber security infrastructure and seal the loopholes.
“The use of watches that have internet access, location information, and telephone conversation functions should be considered a violation of secrecy regulations at army barracks,” the report reads.
“When officers and men put on these type of spectacles, it is extremely possible that army positions can be tracked, endangering the security of military operations.”
“The moment a soldier puts on a device that can record high-definition audio and video, take photos, and process and transmit data, it’s very possible for him or her to be tracked or to reveal military secrets.”
The warning follows a recent incident in a military district in East China where a new recruit received a smartwatch as a gift from his girlfriend and tried to use the device to take a snap of his fellow soldiers. He was interrupted by his senior officials who immediately reported the matter to the military authorities.
Soon after the incident, the authorities were quick enough to initiate action and ban the devices.
