"surveillance backdoors"
... Furthermore it recognised that a China-only version of its service involved certain chats being stored and uploaded to the local authorities in compliance with the country's laws.
Surveillance efforts
Beyond China, several governments have signalled they want to have access to Skype data.
The UK's draft Communications Data Bill suggests internet service providers retain information about their subscribers' use of Skype and other internet communications tools.
The Cnet news site reported last year that the FBI had drafted an amendment to US law which would require Microsoft and other net chat tool providers to create surveillance backdoors in their products.
More recently the netzpolitik.org blog published what it said was a leaked document from Germany's government stating that its Federal Criminal Police Office was working on surveillance software to allow it to track Skype and other data communications. It said the agency hoped to have it ready by 2014.
An expenditure report by the country's Ministry of Home Affairs suggests the local authorities have already spent money to try to monitor Skype using third-party software. BBC News
Will people in the future look back on the early days of the intarwebs and wonder at how we squandered the freedom and anonymity on pr0n and mp3s?