Opportunities, risks exist as smartphone use allowed in Chinese barracks

The military should review regulations concerning the use of smartphones in the barracks, said in a PLA Daily report on Monday.

In July, 2015, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) issued a document allowing soldiers and officers to use smartphones and mobile Internet while in the barracks during their spare time.

According to a survey conducted by the newspaper, 76 percent of 378 respondents from five PLA units and a military university use smartphones, and 80 percent are allowed to use them in the barracks or campus.

Many soldiers and officers would like to see regulations on smartphone use loosened as there are often limited computers available in the barracks.

"In the relatively closed environment of the barracks, many soldiers feel isolated without the Internet," said officer Li Duo.

While the troops are keen to have more Internet access, information leakage is a concern.

GPS, the camera and data transmission pose a threat to the confidentiality of military work, said soldier Chen Shida, who works on classified document management.

The survey results showed that more than 70 percent of respondents had used their phones to take pictures in the barracks and campus, and over half never paid attention to the GPS function.

However, according to Ma Ling, a communication unit chief, special smartphones without functions including bluetooth, GPS or removable storage and applications that supervise soldiers and officers' use of the mobile Internet have been used to avoid information leakage in some barracks. Endi