● Some items have been modified into candid devices, among which the most common modification is mobile phones. The merchant said that the mobile phone modification includes "bottom speaker hole", "top cut-out", "modified bottom or ear hole", "side card pin hole" and other solutions, and the modification cost is roughly more than 2,000 yuan
● Mobile phone manufacturers should strengthen the optimization of the internal structure and external design of mobile phones, reduce the space and opportunities left for modifiers, and improve the anti-disassembly performance of mobile phones. Strengthen the security protection of the mobile phone system, fix vulnerabilities and backdoors in a timely manner, and prevent the secretly taking software from obtaining camera permissions and data
● "Upstream" and "downstream" should be treated at the same time, the "upstream" modified secretly photographed and secretly recorded equipment should be severely cracked down, and the crackdown on "downstream" secretly photographed groups and sales groups should also be carried out simultaneously, and the network platform should actively perform the main responsibility of each link
□ reporter Han Dandong
□ Intern Chen Haozheng
There is an extra hole at the top of the phone; The buttons on the doll flashed red; The glasses temples are thick ... Who would have thought that there might be a hidden camera in it and illegal filming was being carried out.
A recent investigation by a reporter from "Rule of Law Daily" found that the sale and modification of some miniature cameras and pinhole cameras are very common on online shopping platforms, especially in private chat software, as long as customers determine their needs and pay a deposit, merchants can send secretly photographed equipment or modified complete sets of secretly photographed products to customers by courier.
Recently, secret photography incidents have occurred one after another. Some secretly photographed privacy behaviors often use secretly photographed equipment. How to cut off the sales and modification of the industrial chain of candid camera equipment has become the focus of people's attention.
Many items hide cameras
Sneak peek devices are readily available
In the toilet of an office building, a middle-aged man with a mobile phone looks around for the location of the shooting: behind the toilet, around the storage rack... He then sends the images taken in various locations to a sneak peek exchange group.
The group of friends talked about where to place the most inconspicuous equipment and was not easy to find: "The ceiling is the best, make a slit in the gusset, not obtrusive", "Use black tape to fix to the sharp corner"...
Subsequently, the middle-aged man sent pictures of his secretly photographed equipment to the group to facilitate the group's suggestions.
The reporter browsed the pictures and saw that one of the candid camera devices was a circular camera slightly smaller than the nail of the thumb, with flat wires behind it, and various symbols on a square module at the tail: camera pattern, battery pattern, etc.
Soon, another photo was uploaded to the group, which was taken from a top-down view of the hotel's double bed. Immediately, a group of friends asked: "How to operate the hotel secretly photographed?" I also want. Another group of friends replied that the pinhole camera used for hotel candid photography can be bought online or homemade, and the threshold is not high. The group friend also provided specific operating details and precautions.
This secretly photographed communication group is based on a private chat software, and reporters find the group through keyword search and other methods.
The reporter "diving" observed in the group for several days and found that from time to time, some group friends discussed the purchase, modification, and use of secretly photographed equipment.
Some friends revealed that the simplest camera equipment is very cheap, "there is that kind of lighter-sized portable camera, only more than 100 yuan, but the effect is not good, you get what you pay for."
In this chat app, there are also sellers of sneak peek devices posting relevant information. The reporter contacted one of the sellers, who provided a number of product samples, Bluetooth audio, ashtrays, sneakers, shampoo bottles, these seemingly ordinary items, in fact, are hidden miniature cameras.
The reporter noticed that there was such a pair of black glasses: black lens body, temples are relatively thick, and the beam is wide.
According to the seller, the glasses are designed to hide miniature cameras, and at the same time, the black appearance is also conducive to hiding the holes.
"All modified products embedded with pinhole cameras have a uniform price of 1,000 yuan." The seller said that the appearance of these modified items will not have particularly obvious changes, for example, the black briefcase is just one more small hole, and the charger is just one more round reflective hole.
The reporter's investigation found that these secretly photographed devices are not only sold on private chat software, but can also be purchased on online shopping platforms, but directly entering keywords such as "pinhole camera" and "hidden camera" cannot be searched, and when searching with other keywords, many secretly photographed devices will pop up.
For example, on a shopping platform, after the reporter searched for "law enforcement instrument", it showed a modified "law enforcement instrument" incarnated as a secret shooting equipment, and text introductions such as "do not light up when shooting" popped up, the price starts from 30 yuan, there are audio and video recording functions, and the shape and size are no different from voice recorders.
The reporter clicked on a "wireless monitor" on this shopping platform, and the product promotion board said "no network and no electricity, 4K ultra-clear picture quality, ultra-clear night vision". Many users in the comment area below shared their shopping experience, saying that "good concealment, no light and no sound work".
There are also buyer stickers to post praise, in the picture, a button-like camera is sewn on the puppet toy, if not carefully identified, it is impossible to tell which one is the button and which one is the camera. The reporter looked at the comments and found that many users bought this camera precisely because of its concealment.
The phone is converted into a candid camera device
The software can add a candid peek function
In the investigation, the reporter found that some items were modified into secretly photographed equipment, among which the most common modification was a mobile phone.
When "undercover" in a secretly photographed group, the reporter saw a demonstration video of a modified mobile phone taking secretly filming. Compared with a normal phone, the black edge of the front screen of the mobile phone in the video is wider, the body is a little longer, and the black case is set.
The reporter found a merchant selling the location of the modified mobile phone camera on the chat software. The other party sent a price list to the reporter, which listed in detail different mobile phone models, configurations, transformation plans and prices. Even if it is the same mobile phone, according to different transformation schemes, there will be a price difference of several hundred yuan.
Mobile phone modification merchants said that due to the inconsistency in the design and structure of various brands of mobile phones, not all models can be modified, otherwise it may affect the shooting effect. At present, most of the models on the market can be modified, and the modification cost is roughly more than 2,000 yuan.
According to an article published by an information technology company, if you want to modify the mobile phone into a candid camera device, the premise is that the internal layout of the mobile phone is reasonable, and there is enough space on the top to install the camera.
In the price list sent to reporters by mobile phone modification merchants, there are different modification schemes such as "bottom speaker hole", "top cut-out", "modified bottom or ear hole", "side card pin hole" and so on. "The 4K one will thicken the phone case." The merchant reminded.
Faced with inquiries from journalists about how to trade. The merchant said: "After you determine the model, first pay me a deposit of 200 yuan, and then provide the delivery address, and I will send it here." After receiving the goods, there is no problem, and then make up the final payment. ”
The reporter saw from the screenshots of past transactions provided by the merchant that the merchant's shipping place was Jiangsu Province and Chongqing City. In this regard, the merchant explained: "I have several studios that will ship in different places, which is safer. ”
"After receiving the goods, ask me for lock screen software." In the chat history of the merchant with other customers, the reporter saw this sentence. Upon inquiry, after receiving the modified mobile phone sent by the merchant, the merchant will provide the candid camera software for free, which can realize the candid photo when the mobile phone is locked.
"The top of the mobile phone has an opening to secretly take a shot, so that the candid photographer can complete the canopy without raising the phone, this posture is undetectable by ordinary people." Some netizens left a message saying.
In the investigation, the reporter found that some current mobile phone application software can also add the function of secretly taking photos, which is extremely hidden.
In the demo video of a blogger on a platform, the mobile phone screen display is located in the browser search interface, when the blogger swipes his finger left, the screen will gradually enter the camera mode, and the right swipe will immediately return to the original state of the browser. Not only that, but on the setting interface of this software, there are auxiliary functions such as "camera transparency" and "continuous shooting interval".
In "Burst" mode, the camera automatically takes pictures every 10 seconds and continues to work even when you slide to the browser search screen. And these photos are stored in the browser independent album, and there is no trace in the phone's own gallery.
The blogger said that there are many similar candid software. She casually opened a calculator app on her mobile phone, operated a few times, and the calculator's functions could be used normally, "but I only need to enter the password I set to enter the camera mode." ”
Mobile phone manufacturers should optimize the design
Control related equipment at the source
The mainland criminal law has included the illegal production and sale of special equipment for eavesdropping and stealing photos into the scope of crackdown, and those involved in crimes will bear criminal responsibility. In judicial practice, courts in many places have decided a number of criminal cases involving the illegal production and sale of special equipment for stealing photos.
Qin Ketian, deputy director of the Information Network and High-tech Legal Affairs Department of Beijing Yingke (Changzhou) Law Firm, explained that "illegal production and sales" refers to the unauthorized production and sale of special equipment for eavesdropping and stealing photos without the approval and permission of the relevant competent departments, and the illegal production and sale violates relevant state regulations, disrupts the state's management of special equipment, and the flow of special equipment into the society may seriously infringe on citizens' personal privacy and enterprise trade secrets, and may seriously endanger national security and interests.
It is worth noting that at present, there are various devices used for secretly taking photos, especially modifying mobile phones and other equipment to make them have secretly taking functions, rather than micro cameras and pinhole cameras in the traditional sense.
Zhou Junli, a senior partner at ZhongYin Law Firm in Beijing, believes that this needs to be analyzed according to the specific situation, and if the modified equipment is identified as special equipment for eavesdropping and stealing photos, it is suspected of the crime of producing special equipment for eavesdropping and stealing photos.
In Qin Ketian's view, modifying mobile phones, "law enforcement instruments", household items and equipment to have the function of secretly taking photos is obviously to illegally obtain the privacy of others, so modifying mobile phones and other equipment and secretly taking pictures is an illegal act of violating the privacy of others.
So, how can this be managed?
Zhu Wei, deputy director of the Communication Law Research Center of China University of Political Science and Law, believes that "upstream" and "downstream" should be governed at the same time, the "upstream" modified secretly filming and recording equipment should be severely cracked down, and the crackdown on "downstream" secretly photographed groups and sales groups should also be carried out simultaneously, and online platforms should actively perform the main responsibilities of each link.
"At the regulatory level, it is also necessary to strengthen post-event supervision, that is, traceability through the chain of secretly photographed equipment after the fact." Zhu Wei suggested.
Xing Hongfei, a police officer of the Internet Security Detachment of the Xiangyang City Public Security Bureau in Hubei Province, said that the production and sale of secretly photographed equipment is a huge profit, and the regulatory authorities should strengthen supervision and law enforcement, strictly inspect and strictly supervise manufacturers that produce and sell clandestine photographic equipment, curb the production and sales of "clandestine photography artifacts" from the source, and plug loopholes. Law enforcement departments should strictly enforce the law and intensify the crackdown on illegal production and sale of special equipment for clandestine photography.
For some mobile phones being modified or installed with candid software, how should mobile phone manufacturers and software application providers respond?
Zhou Junli suggested that mobile phone manufacturers should strengthen the optimization of the internal structure and external design of mobile phones, minimize the space and opportunities left for the modifier, and improve the anti-disassembly performance of mobile phones. At the same time, it can strengthen the security protection of the mobile phone system, repair possible vulnerabilities and backdoors in time, and prevent secretly taking pictures from using system vulnerabilities to obtain camera permissions and data. Application providers should strengthen the protection of users' privacy data, and must not collect, use, transmit or leak users' camera data without authorization, and immediately stop and process it once discovered. Strengthen the review and management of the application market, strictly prohibit the release and download of any software involving the secretly photographed function, and immediately remove it from the shelves and deal with it once discovered.
Rao Wei, deputy director of the Consumer Rights Professional Committee of the Beijing Lawyers Association, called on mobile phone manufacturers and software application providers to conduct legality and security reviews of the applications developed and provided in accordance with laws and regulations such as the Cybersecurity Law and the Data Security Law and relevant national regulations.
Qin Ketian believes that a reporting feedback mechanism can also be established to encourage users to report mobile phones that have been modified or equipped with secretly photographed software. In this way, you can keep abreast of it and take measures to stop the spread of sneak peek software. Actively monitor modified mobile phones in the market, strengthen cooperation with relevant government departments, law enforcement agencies, industry associations, etc., and jointly combat the manufacture and dissemination of modified mobile phones and secretly photographed software.
"It is recommended that software application vendors establish a strict application review and screening mechanism to prevent sneak peek software from being uploaded to the app store." By strengthening review and supervision, applications with the canopy camera function are discovered and blocked in a timely manner to protect user privacy and security. Qin Ketian said that app providers require developers to update their apps in a timely manner and ensure that there is no content that violates privacy and inappropriate functions.
Zhang Yanxia, a senior partner at Beijing Jingshi Law Firm, suggested that the "three-pronged" front-end, middle-end and back-end can cut off the secretly photographed industry chain. At the front end, strictly control the production and sales of professional monitoring equipment, implement the special equipment production license system, and prevent the abuse of tools from the source; In the middle end, efforts are made to avoid the risk of clandestine photography, hotels, fitting rooms and other places involving personal privacy strengthen the responsibility of managers, and consumers are secretly photographed, hotels and other hotels should bear legal and joint and several compensation; At the back end, it is necessary to severely crack down on clandestine photography and dissemination, improve relevant laws and regulations at the national level as soon as possible, and convict and punish website managers who disseminate clandestine photography and social accounts that share videos, etc., on the premise of meeting the composition of the crime, in accordance with the crime of disseminating obscene materials, infringing on citizens' personal information, and illegally using information networks, to form a deterrent.
Source: Rule of Law Daily