In North Korea, phones covertly take screenshots every 5 minutes for government surveillance

North Korean phones secretly screenshot every 5 minutes, controlling citizens' data.

: A smartphone smuggled out of North Korea offers a rare insight into the extent of government surveillance, featuring software that captures a screenshot every five minutes to monitor users. North Korean devices censor words, replacing everyday terms with state-approved language, to control information and reinforce state messaging. This level of control includes treating the term 'oppa' as problematic and automatically replacing 'South Korea' with 'puppet state' in phone text. Although the exterior of these smartphones appears modern, their internal software is designed for intense government oversight, limiting global internet access.

In North Korea, mobile phones are not just tools for communication but instruments for the state to exercise control over its citizens. A smartphone smuggled from the closed-off nation reveals severe surveillance practices, such as taking screenshots every five minutes. This device, which appears to be similar in design to devices by Huawei or Honor, does not specify brand affiliation. The software within these devices is state-mandated, showcasing a sophisticated mechanism for monitoring citizens' activities and ensuring compliance with government protocols.

A BBC report, featuring this phone's capabilities, demonstrated the extent of North Korea's censorship. Words widely used in South Korea, such as 'oppa,' are automatically replaced with 'comrade,' reinterpreting language that reflects the state's ideological stance. Attempts to mention 'South Korea' lead to automatic substitutions with the term 'puppet state,' customary in North Korean propaganda. This built-in censorship reinforces the regime's rhetoric and limits exposure to foreign or subversive ideas.

More concerning is the phone’s hidden ability to capture screenshots at regular intervals. Users have no access to these images, which are stored in concealed folders, making routine monitoring by authorities seamless and ensuring that any non-compliance with state ideology gets flagged. This system reflects the extreme measures taken by the North Korean government to monitor and restrict citizens' access to information while maintaining a façade of modernity.

Beyond technological manipulation, the regime employs youth squads to inspect the phones of young people, scrutinizing text messages and metadata for evidence of banned cultural influences, such as South Korean media. These efforts are part of broader strategies to eradicate what the regime deems subversive content, fortifying the state's ideological purity against perceived external threats.

Escapees from North Korea often cite exposure to South Korean media as a catalyst for their defection, underscoring the powerful impact of media beyond state control. Despite the pervasive surveillance, individuals and organizations continue to smuggle foreign media into North Korea, often using discreet methods like hidden USBs and memory cards. These efforts highlight the contrast between North Korea's state-controlled narrative and the allure of the outside world, revealing the growing challenges the regime faces in maintaining an information monopoly.

Sources: TechSpot, BBC, Daily NK

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