Chinese law enforcement has achieved a substantial milestone in its ongoing battle against cybercrime and the infringement of citizens’ privacy. Over the course of nearly three years, Chinese police have successfully closed 36,000 cases and apprehended 64,000 suspects involved in personal information violations, according to an announcement by China’s Ministry of Public Security on Thursday.
The comprehensive effort to combat cybercrime and safeguard citizens’ personal information began with the launch of a special campaign to regulate the internet in 2020. Since then, authorities have confiscated over 30 million illegal SIM cards and 300 million unlawful internet accounts, underscoring the scale of the challenge posed by criminals targeting individuals’ personal data.
Sun Jinfeng, an official from the public security ministry, revealed during a press briefing on Thursday that the incidence of criminals exploiting citizens’ personal information has surged alongside the increasing value of data as a production factor. The number of cases investigated by public security agencies saw rapid growth in 2021 and 2022.
These cases have spanned a wide array of industries, encompassing government, healthcare, education, real estate, logistics, and e-commerce. Simultaneously, illegal and gray market sectors, including telecom fraud, harassing phone calls, and internet manipulation, have also emerged.
The proliferation of artificial intelligence (AI) has introduced new dimensions to criminal activity. Notably, criminals have employed AI-based face-changing techniques to facilitate fraud. A case in East China’s Fujian Province involved AI-altered faces to defraud an employee of 4.3 million yuan ($596,377). In response, public security agencies initiated a dedicated campaign that led to the resolution of 79 related cases and the arrest of 515 suspects.
Furthermore, the increasing prevalence of facial recognition technology and AI has precipitated the occurrence of face recognition-related crimes. Criminals manipulate photographs, particularly identity card images, in conjunction with personal names and ID numbers for illicit face recognition verification. Li Tong, another official from the ministry, highlighted efforts to conduct safety assessments of facial recognition technology in collaboration with key state laboratories, identifying vulnerabilities and enhancing safeguards to counter this novel form of crime.
The methods employed by criminals to acquire citizens’ personal information are multifaceted and intricate, encompassing tactics such as e-commerce customer service fraud and hacker technologies. This interconnected criminal ecosystem extends from theft, resale, promotions, and money laundering to processing, constituting an extensive “underground big data” industry. Such activities not only jeopardize personal rights and property safety but also undermine market integrity and social order.
In response to these evolving challenges, more than 2,300 individuals acting as “moles within industries,” including telecom operators, hospitals, insurance companies, real estate, and property sectors, have been apprehended since 2020. Law enforcement agencies have proactively engaged with emerging technologies like ChatGPT, cloud computing, blockchain, and “AI face changing,” resulting in the dismantling of several AI-driven schemes infringing upon citizens’ personal information, as stated by ministry officials.