Photo: China's Ministry of State Security

Hostile foreign anti-China forces may utilize data analysis of large-scale population movements to identify hotspots of social sentiment, fabricate and spread rumors, maliciously manipulate public opinion and even plan provocative incidents to disrupt social order and threaten national security, according to a disclosure by the Ministry of State Security (MSS) on its WeChat account on Sunday.

When people wake up to smartphone notifications in the morning, order a hot breakfast on the screen, rely on real-time route planning to move through the city, or automatically upload data during exercise and fitness activities, all these casual clicks and swipes will leave behind a trail of digital footprints. These streams of data, aggregated from the routines of daily life, have become an indispensable component of critical national security that cannot be overlooked, the MSS said.

Digital footprints refer to data that is stored on servers after people use digital devices or access the internet. They can be categorized into passive digital footprints, such as location data collected by mobile apps or preferences tracked by website cookies, and active digital footprints, such as social media posts and online shopping records generated through deliberate personal actions.

By analyzing digital footprints, hostile foreign anti-China forces may accurately identify individuals who appear regularly and over extended periods near important military-industrial facilities or research institutes, providing precise "guidance" for subsequent contact or recruitment operations targeting high-value individuals.

Additionally, by monitoring of personnel and vehicle trajectories around core areas such as communication base stations and transportation hubs, foreign forces may infer vulnerabilities in internal security systems, offering actionable intelligence for follow-up measures.

As a result, data on the population concentration and movement of people in commercial areas and industrial parks not only serves as a barometer of consumer activity but can also reveal the economic development status and industrial layout of a region by analyzing commuting and logistics patterns. This information becomes crucial intelligence that influences business decisions and even national strategic competition, the MSS said.

Moreover, pedestrian and vehicular tidal data around critical hubs and infrastructure has provided a basis for optimizing urban management. They may also serve as a "code" for understanding and revealing the laws of social operations, acting as a "diagnostic report" for systemic social risks and directly impacting public safety and social stability.

Continuous collection and analyses of personnel movements and vehicle trajectories around certain sensitive areas can create a form of "unconscious mapping," uncovering the outlines of otherwise concealed strategic locations and exposing critical information, thus becoming a window for hostile actors.

The MSS also reminded citizens to enhance awareness of data security, carefully review the permissions requested by applications and avoid granting location access unless necessary. When needed, set permissions to "Allow only while using the app." When sharing or "checking in" online, avoid disclosing precise location information, and be particularly cautious not to reveal sensitive places such as home or workplace addresses. Regularly check the privacy settings and permission management of apps and disable unnecessary background data collection features.

Global Times