Recently, residents in various areas of Shanghai have reported that the police and neighborhood committees are requesting the mandatory download and installation of an anti-fraud app called “GoldenGuard”. There are even reports of a statement saying “Failure to install will result in a fine of 500 yuan”, sparking widespread attention. The official stance of the Chinese Communist Party has escalated its promotion methods from the “Scan to Get Free Eggs” initiative in March to the mandatory registration and inspection in July, leading to rising public discontent.
The “GoldenGuard” app developed by the Shanghai police has been promoted since March this year, however public response has been lukewarm. On July 18, a resident named Mr. Xue from Minhang District told Epoch Times that the neighborhood committees have been frequently promoting the “GoldenGuard” app recently, claiming it can intercept fraudulent calls and protect bank account security. However, there is an implied sense of compulsion in their tone: “They say if you don’t install it, you’ll be fined hundreds of yuan. Isn’t this an act of bullying?”
He further questioned whether his phone calls were being monitored: “When my overseas friend called, right after we finished the conversation, the neighborhood committee called and asked ‘Who were you talking to just now?’ Isn’t this surveillance?”
From the “Scan to Get Eggs” to the “Fine for Not Installing”, the way Shanghai is promoting “GoldenGuard” has triggered strong public backlash, with concerns about personal privacy and civil rights continually escalating in various sectors of society.
A resident named Xiao Xu from Huangpu District stated that the local police station has been sending people to communities almost daily to register households that have not installed “GoldenGuard”. “Why should we be fined for not installing it? The app is not mandatory software,” she expressed her strong dislike for this almost performance-based promotion strategy.
Apart from the threat of fines, some citizens have faced police summons. An active internet user, Miss Zhou, revealed to Epoch Times that a month ago, she was taken by the police for checking her address, but in reality, they went through her phone communication records. “They checked my phone, claiming they detected my contact with foreign sources and demanded an explanation of who I was in contact with, even took a full-body picture of me. They only let me go after forcing me to install ‘GoldenGuard’.” A friend of hers from Guangdong also experienced a similar situation.
In fact, the mandatory installation of anti-fraud apps is not limited to Shanghai. As early as 2023, passengers and residents in Inner Mongolia, Heilongjiang, and other regions were required to install related software. At Ulanqab Railway Station in Inner Mongolia, police set up booths to check whether phones had the “National Anti-Fraud Center” app installed, with those without it not being allowed to leave the station. Some hospitals, streets, and even universities have also witnessed police supervision of app installations.
A resident named Yuan Li (alias) from Hohhot believes that another real motive of the authorities for preventing fraud is to monitor communications. He told reporters, “Now, many people have anti-fraud apps installed on their phones. (The authorities) are actually for monitoring. They know what people are saying on WeChat, QQ. Now, once an account is permanently blocked, the authorities’ goal is to increase control over the communication field.”
Similar practices have also been frequently seen on campuses. The Security Department of Jiangxi Normal University once required all students to install the National Anti-Fraud app on their phones and conducted random phone checks. Some netizens likened such measures to compulsory vaccination during the pandemic, criticizing the authorities for using “safety” as a cover for substantive “control”.
A human rights lawyer in Changsha, Hunan, who chose to remain anonymous, stated that the mandatory installation of anti-fraud software violates personal privacy and freedom of communication. Citizens can apply for administrative reconsideration or file a lawsuit in accordance with the law. He called on the government to protect the basic rights of citizens, rather than implementing technical surveillance under the guise of anti-fraud.