China’s Surveillance System: Cracks in a Digital Panopticon

 

China’s expansive surveillance network monitors over 1.4 billion citizens, blending advanced technology with minimal legal checks on state control. However, cracks are emerging in this highly complex system.

Overview of Surveillance 
 
China’s surveillance infrastructure leverages technologies such as:
  • Facial Recognition: Identifies individuals through advanced cameras.
  • Gait Recognition: Detects people based on movement patterns.
  • Mobile Apps: Platforms like WeChat and Alipay track transactions, communications, and movements.
A hallmark of this system is the Social Credit System, rewarding or penalizing citizens based on monitored behavior. 
 
Emergence of Data Exploitation 
Despite its sophistication, China’s surveillance system suffers from internal misuse: