China is likely recording 1 million Covid cases and 5,000 deaths a day due to the Covid BF.7 Variant outbreak. For many months Shanghai endured a brutal lockdown to stop the spread of Covid. The virus is now starting to become virtually unchecked through the megacity’s 25 million-strong population. Hospitals are struggling to cope with the number of infected patients, pharmacies are turning customers away empty-handed, businesses are shutting because staff are sick, most schools have closed, and public transport usage is plummeting.
China was implementing a complete lockdown as they followed the zero covid policy. As a result of this implementation, massive protests across the country broke out. People were taking to the streets and protesting against the Chinese Government. They were also demanding the resignation of Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Due to the protests, the Chinese Government lost its nerve and opened up all areas in China. This resulted in a sudden surge in Corona cases in China. However, this article is only about how China imposes curbs on its citizens using technology and controls every aspect of their life, including the right to protest.
In earlier times, China used to crush protests with the help of the PLA and weapons. Tiananmen Square was one good example. In 1987, the Tiananmen Square protests began, and martial law was imposed in Beijing in May. On June 3 and 4, troops began advancing toward Tiananmen Square by shooting, crushing and arresting protesters. 10,000 civilians and a few dozen security guards were killed
But in the present uprising against the CCP, the Chinese Government has used high-end technology and social media to crush the rebellion. A few important methods that were used are given in the succeeding paras: –
Vast Surveillance Network to Keep Watch On 1.4 Billion Citizens
China has built an extensive civilian surveillance network that tracks every one of its 1.4 billion citizens, from facial recognition to name and shame jaywalkers to forcing people to download apps that can access all the photos on their smartphones.
Most of the technologies currently available in China are being used in the system. Tech companies in China are required to share data with the Government upon request, which helps China to predict protest spots and protesters.
Using Facial Recognition Technology to Pick Suspicious People Out of Crowds
At least 16 cities, municipalities, and provinces across China use a facial recognition system that can scan the country’s 1.4 billion population with 99.8 per cent accuracy. Suspicious people involved in protests who post Anti- Government posts criminals can be identified and arrested.
When violence or protests occur, many onlookers or jaywalkers collect at the spot to watch the scene. This swells the crowd unnecessarily. Several Chinese cities have already installed facial recognition cameras around their streets that immediately match jaywalkers’ faces to a central police database.
The jaywalkers’ photos, surnames, and ID numbers are displayed on a massive screen next to the road to warn them to stay away. Many get messages on their mobiles warning them to keep away from the protest sites. This ensures that the crowd does not collect at the protest site because they know they are under watch.
Police Wear Special Glasses to Identify People in Crowded Places, Like Streets, Train Stations. The facial recognition glasses are linked to a database that can match people with criminal suspects’ data. LL Vision Technology has developed the glasses. This technology can identify faces from a database of 10,000 in 0.1 seconds.
‘Robot Police’ have been Installed in train Stations that scan people’s faces and match those of wanted suspicious people.
Getting Group Chat Administrators to Spy On Chat Groups
China has its own social media equivalent of Facebook, WhatsApp, YouTube, Twitter and Instagram. They use QQ, We chat, Weibo etc. China holds people criminally liable for content posted in any group chat they initiate on messaging apps. The regulation applies even to private and encrypted apps. The Government also requires tech companies to monitor and keep records of conversations for six months and report any illegal activity to authorities.
Forcing Citizens to Download Apps That Allow the Government to Monitor Their Cell Phone Photos, Videos
Nobody can escape the dragnet. No Anti-CCP videos or Anti-Government videos can be posted. If somebody attempts it, it is immediately removed.
Stopping Pedestrians at Random to Check Their Phones
Armed police and paramilitary forces stop random pedestrians from checking their phones and laptops for banned apps and messages deemed dangerous to the Chinese Communist Party. This method of searching has already led to multiple suspects being detained and arrested.
Tracking People’s Social Media Posts, Which Can Be Linked to The User’s Family and Location
Catching suspects thus becomes very easy. There are no fake profiles on Chinese social media. Since social media profiles can be identified, no fake news, Anti-Government news, or posts that can trigger violence are ever posted. A citizen who disobeys rules get caught and get punished.
Predictive software to aggregate data about people — and flag those they consider threatening
The software gathers the data from CCTV cameras, ID checks, and “wifi sniffers” — tools that intercept wireless networks and hoover up and decode the data transmitted through them.
The central system, also known as the “Integrated Joint Operations Platform” (IJOP), analyzes people’s profiles, predicts whether they could harm the Chinese Communist regime, and alerts local authorities to potential rebels.
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This effectively allows Chinese authorities to detain people they see as political dissidents arbitrarily. The Chinese Government is ready to go to any lengths to quell the country’s protests or keep watch on dissenters and minorities.
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