Baidu has a switch which apparently allows users to stop sending data, but it doesn't do anything:
> Although this automatic data transmitting function is switched off in the default setting, Sugiura found that Baidu IME secretly sends users’ information even when the function is turned off.
I think users without prior IME experience may have a hard time image what is the purpose of sync or what does it do. It's a user trained Bayesian db where you can input your most used words/combinations very fast.
It's like auto-complete in IMEs or Google Suggest where you can get a list of "hints" ordered by popularity.
Baidu IME does the same, except, according to OP:
> ... sends users’ information even when the function is turned off.
Now I'm having trouble logging in to GMail: that link set a cookie saving my language as Japanese! D:
edit: Found the "language" option on Google sign-in -- it's the scroller in the bottom right labelled "日本語". There's a small blue logo next to it that looks like the UN flag. Hope this helped someone.
edit #2: It's also in the URL, replace /intl/jp/ with /intl/en/ (for English)
I lived in China for a couple of years, and it was generally accepted among the technologically savvy people I knew that most large web/software companies (Baidu, Tencent, Sina) spied on their users for the Chinese government.
This is bullshit, IME usually stores the user input habits/frequencies on the cloud to improve the user experiences, it's also important to download internet words into local database. Why don't you see MS secretly uploads my data to NSA?
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[ 3.7 ms ] story [ 49.7 ms ] threadSimeji, on the other hand, is a bigger concern - it's a very popular Japanese keyboard for Android.
Either way, this is one hell of an information leak if the keyboard app is sending everything you type in somewhere else.
Simeji was originally created by an indie dev, but then Baidu bought the app.
But in general, nearly all non-geeks stick to what came with their OS.
> Although this automatic data transmitting function is switched off in the default setting, Sugiura found that Baidu IME secretly sends users’ information even when the function is turned off.
I think users without prior IME experience may have a hard time image what is the purpose of sync or what does it do. It's a user trained Bayesian db where you can input your most used words/combinations very fast.
It's like auto-complete in IMEs or Google Suggest where you can get a list of "hints" ordered by popularity.
Baidu IME does the same, except, according to OP:
> ... sends users’ information even when the function is turned off.
edit: Found the "language" option on Google sign-in -- it's the scroller in the bottom right labelled "日本語". There's a small blue logo next to it that looks like the UN flag. Hope this helped someone.
edit #2: It's also in the URL, replace /intl/jp/ with /intl/en/ (for English)
1. It's a cloud based IME. Some data is uploaded to improve user experience.
2. Data upload is encrypted therefore no privacy concerns.
3. Servers are located in Japan and complies with local regulations.
http://tech.qq.com/a/20131226/014894.htm (Don't shoot the messenger.)