People have the right to privacy

ON WEDNESDAY, Qihoo 360 Technology announced it would permanently shut down its Jia livestreaming platform, which has been embroiled in controversy for the past several weeks, because people could watch other people go about their daily lives without their consent via the free cameras installed by the company. Beijing Youth Daily comments:

The nightmare scenario of people being watched wherever they went and whatever they did, without being aware of those watching them, came true thanks to Qihoo 360 Technology's livestreaming platform.

The company installed cameras in restaurants, gyms, and cafeterias for free, and livestreamed the video on its platform without the people's consent. Sometimes they discussed the whole thing with the restaurant owners, but the consent of those who were being livestreamed was never sought.