New Chinese surveillance leaves foreigners nowhere to hide

A cybersecurity researcher accessed an unsecured Chinese web dashboard tab labeled for journalist files and found a comprehensive database of foreign journalists in Beijing around 2021. The records included passport photos from entry/exit bureaus, private cell phone numbers, visa details, and dates of birth, along with the researcher’s own information. The dashboard appeared to be a demonstration version of a remote tracking system for the Public Security Bureau in Zhangjiakou, Hebei, used for the 2022 Winter Olympics. The exposed data showed how surveillance is evolving from widespread CCTV into a fused, 24/7 predictive system. The system can track connections between people rather than only monitor individuals through cameras.

"Instead, familiar faces popped up on the screen. It was a comprehensive database of almost every foreign journalist based in Beijing around 2021, including their official passport photos taken at the entry/exit bureau, private cell phone numbers, visa details, and dates of birth. He also found his own exact personal information lying dormant on this Chinese police watchlist. "It was more interesting than shocking," NetAskari told DW. "When you work as a journalist in China, you basically assume you are always on their radar. But what surprised me was simply how easy it was to access this highly sensitive system.""

"What NetAskari had stumbled upon is part modern China's emerging system of "holographic profiles." He had unwittingly accessed a demonstration version of a remote tracking system designed for the Public Security Bureau in Zhangjiakou, the Hebei province city that hosted the 2022 Winter Olympics. Though it was only a test panel, it was populated with real datasets, clearly outlining the trajectory of China's state surveillance machine, which is rapidly evolving from a network of simple street cameras into a data-fused, 24/7, predictive social control behemoth."

"For years, China has operated the world's most extensive CCTV network. A massive initiative known as the "Xueliang" (Bright Eyes) project aims to merge these isolated islands of surveillance spread across the country. But the data on the Zhangjiakou police dashboard shows the granular detail with which authorities can track an individual. The system can track connections between people Image: NetAskari This system no longer relies solely on police cameras on street corners."

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