Roundup: Naomi Wu and the Silence That Speaks Volumes
Reactions to my recent top story.
As the writer who initially brought to light the situation involving Naomi Wu's situation and the possible connection to her tweets about Signal App, I am pleased to present you with a roundup of recent reporting to keep you informed in the ongoing conversation.
Last week, just five days after my breaking news story about Naomi “Sexy Cyborg” Wu, MIT Technology Review published a groundbreaking article citing Hacking, but Legal which sheds light on the vulnerabilities associated with widely used Chinese keyboard apps. These apps, often the first software Chinese users download on new devices, play a vital role in streamlining communication for over 800 million users.
Needless to say, the article is fascinating and well worth a read for anyone interested in the types of concerns raised by Wu over a number of years.
The security risk is particularly acute for users in China, since they are more likely to use keyboard apps and are under strict surveillance by their government. (Wu herself has disappeared from social media since the end of June, following a visit from police that was reportedly related to her online discussions of Signal and keyboard apps.)
Notably, author Zeyi Yang wrote that neither Signal nor WhatsApp responded to MIT Technology Review’s requests for comment.
Four popular YouTubers posted breakdowns of my article:
Rebecca Watson of Skepchick published a blog post in which she blamed Elon Musk for harming users’ ability to surface relevant information, causing her to miss Wu’s final tweet:
There’s a really disturbing situation happening in China that I think it’s important everyone know about as soon as possible.
[…] Jackie Singh has the story and some quotes from Wu on her site hackingbutlegal.com, which I encourage you to go read in full.
Watson also created a video to accompany her blog post:
YouTuber Keffals addressed the topic for her audience:
YouTuber Tipster reviewed and discussed the article:
Vaush also covered it throughly:
Noted tech columnist Violet Blue added mention to her Cybersecurity Roundup newsletter:
Is anyone else as worried as I am about Naomi Wu and her partner? Does anyone else miss the hell out of her? And is anyone else as angry as I feel about the fact that tech outlets have been completely silent about what happened to her?
The story rocketed to the front page of HackerNews, garnering nearly 200 comments.
Cybersecurity publication RiskyBizNews wrote:
A report from Jackie Singh documents how Chinese authorities have harassed and silenced Naomi Wu, a well-known hardware expert and privacy advocate.
There was a Reddit discussion on r/China and a post on Lemmy, each receiving approximately 400 upvotes and generating scores of comments.
And, of course, there were the tweets! My own tweet accrued more than 100K views and tons of engagements, with many concerned supporters replying to express their dismay at Wu’s situation.
It was recently Wu’s birthday, and I hope—wherever she is—that, despite the naysayers, this wellspring of concern and affection from the Western community helps reinforce the sense that the world does care, and that the world is watching.
Happy Birthday, Naomi!