The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee is telling athletes to use burner phones instead of their personal devices ahead of the Beijing Winter Olympics, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal.⁠

⁠The advisory was reportedly sent out twice last year to warn athletes about the possibility of digital surveillance while in China, stating, “Every device, communication, transaction and online activity may be monitored. Your device(s) may also be compromised with malicious software, which could negatively impact future use.”⁠

Additionally, Great Britain, Canada, and the Netherlands also cautioned athletes against bringing their personal electronics into the country, according to the Journal.⁠

A similar advisory was issued by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security back when Beijing held the 2008 Summer Olympics, warning travelers headed to China that bringing any devices potentially exposes them to “unauthorized access and theft of data by criminal or foreign government elements.” ⁠

However, this year’s games will not have any foreign spectators due to COVID-19 concerns.