Those wondering why Saudi Arabia went ahead and switched BlackBerry service back on over the weekend may have their answer: according to MSNBC, RIM has handed over user codes that will let the country track individual users.
https://gizmodo.com/blackberry-service-restored-in-saudi-arabia-5607030
We’d already heard that a BlackBerry server would be placed inside Saudi Arabia, but today’s report sheds a little more light on what exactly that will give the government access to. Namely, the unique pin number and code for each registered BlackBerry. That would give Saudi authorities access to BBMs.
It’s a troubling precedent, and a huge price to pay. Is it worth being able to send and receive sensitive business information if that same information is compromised? And more to the point: if this turns out to be true, doesn’t RIM owe it to its users to disclose just who’s looking in on their BlackBerry conversations? [MSNBC]
