Chinese Database With Details on More Than Two Million People
| Chinese Database With Details on More Than Two Million People | |
|---|---|
| Short Title | China Collects Large Amounts of Different Types of Personal Information In a Database with More Than Two Million People |
| Location | China |
| Date | September 2020 |
| Solove Harm | Surveillance, Aggregation |
| Information | Identifying, Family, Behavioral, Preference, Location, Contact |
| Threat Actors | Chinese government |
| Individuals | |
| Affected | People in the database |
| High Risk Groups | Wealthy, Politicians |
| Tangible Harms | |
A database with personal information on more than 2.4 million people was found. This database was compiled by a Chinese company working with the government.
Description
In September 2020 a US academic has revealed the existence of 2.4-million-person database he says was compiled by a Chinese company known to supply intelligence, military, and security agencies.
The data collected about individuals and institutions and the overlaid analytic tools from social media platforms provide China enormous benefit in opinion formation, targeting, and messaging. This is an example of Surveillance. The database details 2.4 million influential people, their kids, addresses, and other personal information.
From the assembled data, it is possible for China even in individualized meetings be able to craft messaging or target the individuals they deem necessary to target. The database is reportedly technically complex, uses very advanced language, targeting, and classification tools.
This is also an example of Aggregation. The researcher alleges the purpose of the database is enabling influence operations to be conducted against prominent and influential people outside China.
The database includes details of politicians, diplomats, activists, academics, media figures, entrepreneurs, military officers and government employees. Subjects’ close relatives are also listed, along with contact details and affiliations with political and other organisations.
Breakdown
Threat: China regularly collecting large amounts of personal information about people from various sources
At-Risk group: People in the database
Harm: Surveillance
Secondary Consequences: not known
Threat: Chinese officials analysing large amounts of aggregated information on people to know how to influence them
At-Risk group: People in the database
Harm: Aggregation
Secondary Consequences: not known