LINE 'secretly' cooperating with TCSD on chat records, Pisit tell the press

[webfact]

Line 'secretly' cooperating with TCSD on chat records, Pisit tell the press
By Coconuts Bangkok



BANGKOK: -- Japan's Naver Corp, maker of ubiquitous chatting app Line, has agreed to cooperate with Thai police to share records of “suspicious” users, according to the Technology Crime Suppression Division (TCSD).

Yesterday, TCSD chief Pol Maj Gen Pisit Paoin told Post Today that he had discussed the issue with the Japanese firm earlier and received the green light from them to track messages detrimental to Thailand's security.

Regarding yesterday's statement by Naver Corp that they hadn't received any requests from Thai police, Pisit said that the statement was just part of the company’s PR strategy to protect its business. Thailand is the third-biggest country for Line, after Japan and Taiwan, with over 15 million users.

Pisit vowed to pursue its operation in a quiet manner so as to minimize the public uproar (LOL), and continue their operation in a legal manner. [read more...]

Full story: http://bangkok.coconuts.co/2013/08/14/line-secretly-cooperating-tcsd-chat-records-pisit-tell-press


-- Coconuts Bangkok 2013-08-14

[Somtamnication]

Already then. Not a secret anymore!!!!!!!!!!!

These people all carry cheese in their mouths.

[jaidam]

LOL, now who to believe? an overseas corporation that must protect the security of its clients communication content, or a bullying, threatening mafioso from a fascist regime, with zero credibility. Tough decision.

[gl555]

What a lying sack of crap! They're never going to cooperate with the scum of the Thai police but he's lying to spread fear among Line users. The higher the rank in this country, the more dishonest they are.

[theblether]

Oh come on.....it's comical.

" I'm here to let you know that LINE are secretly cooperating "

Someone should explain the concept of secrecy to him.

[Songhua]

I believe he's a little confused. He's likely been told that assistance may be given in tracking the messages of a suspect, not that he will be given approval to track whoever he wishes in order to determine whether they are suspect or not.

His smug look seems to indicate he hasn't quite clicked yet. That'll disappear the first time he makes a request to eavesdrop on Somchai So'n'So for no justifiable reason .... and gets denied.

[GentlemanJim]

I hope the Japanese owners of Line, sue his sorry ass back to the stone age.

The thought crosses my mind that this whole story is such bolleux that the script would not even make it to the worst Thai soap. Could this be just another off the plot attempt by PM and big brother to distract the Thai public from other really serious stuff going on at the moment, like the amnesty bill?

Edited August 14, 2013 by GentlemanJim

[Credo]

If he is giving false information and it hurts Line's business, I believe they can sue him.

[BookMan]

He looks like a man who believes he is never wrong

[trainman34014]

We all know this is scare tactics to try and nullify any 'thinking' that may go on in the general population about the corrupt and inept people who run this country. This Joker and all his mates are riding for a big fall because like it or not each new Thai generation is becoming more aware of what wants sorting. Sooner or later it will all come to a head.

[dcutman]

He looks like a man who believes he is never wrong

He is acting like a man that needs to call the Mental Health Hotline.

[tominbkk]

Looks like he just ate the canary there!

[Commander Tamson]

Anyone with an ounce of intelligence knows this is BS. Why would the Japanese owners of Line even consider such an application. The question we have to ask however is 'Will the Thai public believe the slime ball?'

[Mampara]

What a lying sack of crap! They're never going to cooperate with the scum of the Thai police but he's lying to spread fear among Line users. The higher the rank in this country, the more dishonest they are.

Whit the hi-tek TV's that we have in the market now in Thailand what do u think the chances are of being monitored by them while u watch the TV (impossible u say! I don't think so)

[meom]

Anyone with an ounce of intelligence knows this is BS. Why would the Japanese owners of Line even consider such an application.

Why not.

There's many countries where law enforcement would like to have access to encrypted info send by various smart phone apps.

You can't stop technology though so they'll always be behind the curve.

[Payboy]

Thailand is the third-biggest country for Line, after Japan and Taiwan, with over 15 million users.

Looks like they lost 7 million users in just a couple of days.

[zydeco]

Cock-a-doodle-dooo.

[Commander Tamson]

Thailand is the third-biggest country for Line, after Japan and Taiwan, with over 15 million users.

Looks like they lost 7 million users in just a couple of days.

Can you back that statement up in any way?

[Payboy]

Thailand is the third-biggest country for Line, after Japan and Taiwan, with over 15 million users.

Looks like they lost 7 million users in just a couple of days.

Can you back that statement up in any way?

Nope, just taking the piss like Pisit.

[Bluespunk]

This guy interviews and press statements lead me to believe he has one too many "i"s in his name.

[Thai at Heart]

I await them suing him for damaging their business. Defamation us serious business in Thailand.......

[Commander Tamson]

Thailand is the third-biggest country for Line, after Japan and Taiwan, with over 15 million users.

Looks like they lost 7 million users in just a couple of days.

Can you back that statement up in any way?

Nope, just taking the piss like Pisit.

Sorry Payboy; missed the irony.

[tominbkk]

We secwetly tak wit Line, but pwease no tell anybody! Shhh!

[rkidlad]

I read yesterday that there will be key words that will set of alarm bells; terrorism, government, drugs, prostitution, etc.

My idea would be for every user to somehow create a template/macro to include these key words with every message they send. For example; Hi! terrorism, drugs, prostitution, etc

See how they get on with checking 7 million people doing that every message, every day.

[Thai at Heart]

The police use it themselves.

How is a guy supposed to chat with his mia Noi if he can't send a huge Japanese smiley?

[Exsexyman]

They all copy the USA eventually. Very sad to be honest. One would think that the rest of the world would wake up and realise that they are not the best example to follow.

[GentlemanJim]

Looking at the Photo and how this guy conducts himself I can only assume that one of his relatives may well have been French!

[Thai at Heart]

They all copy the USA eventually. Very sad to be honest. One would think that the rest of the world would wake up and realise that they are not the best example to follow.

Huh?

Japanese national telecom secretly passes information to Thailand? You really believe this is possible?

The last USA guy who did that is holed up in russia!

Maybe they can live next to each other.

Edited August 14, 2013 by Thai at Heart

[WinnieTheKhwai]

They all copy the USA eventually. Very sad to be honest. One would think that the rest of the world would wake up and realise that they are not the best example to follow.

Huh?

Japanese national telecom secretly passes information to Thailand? You really believe this is possible?

The last USA guy who did that is holed up in russia!

Maybe they can live next to each other.

Of course it's possible. Other countries (Middle Eastern ones) got Blackberry to give them access.

I think it matters little; LINE is a proprietary 'black box' system, much like Skype and Facebook, and therefore should not be assumed to be secure.

Edited August 14, 2013 by WinnieTheKhwai

[webfact]

UPDATE:
Police unbowed in plan to check Line conversations
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- DESPITE CONTINUED public criticism and Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's remark that the government fully respected people's rights, the police commander of the Technology Crime Suppression Division (TCSD) yesterday insisted he would press on with the idea of checking people's use of the globally popular Line chat application.

However, Pol Maj Gen Pisit Paoin said his division would only check for information on people suspected of committing a subversive act or crime online, and not on all Line users' conversations.

Pisit said representatives from all countries at a meeting of the International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) believed that illegal activity on websites and smart-phone applications was likely to increase, and that all countries would need to plan measures to prevent such crime.

The TCSD has a duty to protect the country and bring technological crime under control, he said. Therefore, it should lay down measures to protect against future threats, he insisted.

There are currently 20 million Thai Facebook users, while the Line application has some 15 million Thai users. It is, therefore, likely that some of these people will use these programs to stir up trouble and engage in crime, he said.

Pisit said his division would not eavesdrop on social-media users without authorisation, as it would need the consent of mobile operators following a court order.

He gave an assurance that he would only investigate people having committed a crime and would examine the Line database in Japan, where the application's server is housed, to check whether any such persons have a Line user account.

The division will not check all Line conversations by Thai users, he stressed.

Pisit last week said the police planned to study the conversations and comments posted on the popular social-media application to see whether they violated the law or threatened national security.

The agency had asked Line Corp in Japan to cooperate, he said, but Line's operator on Tuesday said it had not received any contact from the Thai police.

National police chief Pol General Adul Saengsingkaew yesterday said the police would not violate the rights of Line users, but would check only those people who violate the law or are threats to national security. "Police will not look into people's personal lives. We will look into only issues threatening national security, such as the spreading of rumours. We won't check on everybody, but only those people engaging in such behaviour. We will certainly follow the law, but we have to see first which laws are related to this," he said.

Meanwhile, social-media users continue to attack Pisit's idea.

Acharawadee Buaklee yesterday posted that Google Map Camera Car was more threatening to national security than Line users.

This was in reaction to the news that villagers in Tambon Sa-eab, in Phrae province, had intercepted the driver of a Google Map Camera vehicle that gone around taking pictures of the area to be part of Google Maps' Street View.

The villagers later apologised to the driver.


-- The Nation 2013-08-15