China is reportedly developing a new precrime data platform, raising concerns about privacy and potential increased surveillance of citizens.
The uneasiness came after the ruling Communist Party tasked China Electronics Group, one of the country's major state-run defense contractors, to develop a software that would collect and compile data on a variety of aspects of citizens' behavior, including jobs, consumption habits and hobbies, Bloomberg reported.
According to Wu Manqing, the contractor's chief engineer, the goal of the project is to create a system that would be able to predict potential acts of terror based on the data and take action.
Wu also said that the software will be able to cross-reference the gathered information from surveillance camera footage and draw a profile of potential suspects. The program would then be able to determine and flag unusual behavior and alert police to take necessary actions, such as freezing the suspect's bank accounts.
Other details of the project are still being kept secret. However, another executive of the company, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, revealed that the new system will be first tested in select regions where authorities are trying to control violent opposition coming from certain groups.
However, some experts expressed doubt on whether the new software will indeed be able to deliver as promised. According to Brooking's Institution's Paul Pillar, there are a lot of different data that needs to be taken into account to create a reliable profile of suspected terrorists. He added that it is unlikely that the system will be able to stop everything.
Jim Harper, a senior fellow, seconded the opinion, arguing that there is still not enough examples of terrorist activities to create a comprehensive model for predicting similar future acts.
The reveal of the project came on the heels of the passing of new anti-terrorism laws in December. Under the new laws, telecommunications companies doing business in the country are required to provide assistance to public and state security agencies during surveillance of suspected criminal elements, Ars Technica.com reported.
The new laws have raised concerns about them being used against ordinary citizens. According to human rights activist William Nee, the laws could also potentially be used for censoring information.