CHINA is actively working toward spying on every of its 1.4 billion residents, according to new reports in the United States, with concern growing about the demise of privacy and the potential for such surveillance worldwide.

What’s happening?

The Communist state is using both old and cutting-edge technologies – such as fingerprint databases, licence plates, phone scanners and facial recognition cameras – to spy at an unprecedented level.

It’s rolling it out across cities?

The expansion is under way, according to an in-depth investigation by The New York Times, with surveillance networks controlled by local police departments.

The data is not being safeguarded?

The investigation found that the personal data of millions of people has been sitting on unprotected servers, with an array of middlemen and private contractors given access to the information.

Isn’t it just about tracking criminals?

Many countries use some of the same methods to track criminals, but China is taking things further. The world's most populous country, already known for its strict regime, is intensifying efforts to combine tools to make the process part of daily life.

Toward what end?

At a basic level, it is believed that the techniques will enable police to identify people as they walk – unaware – along the street, find out who they are and confirm who does, and who does not, belong to the Communist Party. Also, the overall arc is aiming to ensure social stability and avoid events such as the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests.

What else?

In one example, the investigation found that four cameras and two small 'IMSI" boxes – covert mobile phone trackers – provided a treasure trove of data, having been installed in just one apartment complex in the city of Zhengzhou in central China. As the phone detectors and cameras worked together to connect the data dots, nearly 70,000 phones were identified and around 8,700 facial images collected, with 3,000 phones matched to owners.

The problem is?

Beyond the obvious invasion of privacy, in Zhengzhou, for example, police can now use their findings to track people – receiving updates on a person’s location at any time.

It’s being presented as a crime deterrent?

Police promote the procedures in this way when challenged, but there are fears over how far the surveillance is reaching.

Such as?

At one residential complex, police replaced old key cards with face scanning entry measures. The investigation found that the overall data amassed ultimately included not only who was a member of the Communist Party, but marital and family statuses and – thanks to the scanning – a detailed record of individuals’ comings and goings.

As for the rest of the world?

None of the methods used is beyond the reach of other countries.

Some UK police forces have, for example, refused to disclose data about IMSI (International Mobile Subscriber Identity) in recent years. So who knows who may be watching.

MAUREEN SUGDEN