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The latest news, analysis and opinion on Surveillance. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
The Sanchar Saathi app logo is seen on a phone. Photo: Reuters
India

India scraps mandatory cybersecurity app on new phones after backlash

The Indian government confidentially ordered companies like Apple, Samsung, and Xiaomi to install the Sanchar Saathi app on their new phones.

Nordic nations

Concern in Norway after test shows Chinese-made buses can be disabled remotely

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Crime in Hong Kong

Editorial | Police CCTV coverage must be expanded with care, ensuring data security

Britain

China poses ‘daily threat’ to UK security, MI5 chief says

Ken McCallum confirmed MI5 thwarted a China threat last week, but expressed frustration over a collapsed prosecution of two alleged spies.

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Director General of MI5, Ken McCallum, delivers the annual Director General’s Speech at the agency’s headquarters in London. Photo: dpa
China’s Communist Party

AI-enhanced bodycams among advanced police gear China shows developing nations

At 3-day forum, officials from nations such as Belarus, DRC, Nicaragua and Ethiopia meet China’s minister for public security.

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Hong Kong society

Editorial | Privacy is paramount as Hong Kong deploys drones to enforce traffic laws

Efforts to improve road safety at accident hotspots are welcome, but public fears about being spied on should not be dismissed.

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Hong Kong environmental issues

Hong Kong rat catchers get AI boost as live trappings of rodents surge 40%

Pest control teams trapped 89,600 rats in 2024, with authorities introducing AI-equipped thermal imaging cameras to track rodent activity.

Thermal imaging cameras are used to precisely identify the presence of rodents. Photo: Handout
Music

What the Coldplay ‘kiss cam’ scandal says about privacy for us all today

‘There’s no such thing as the private life any more,’ says one expert as the fallout from Coldplay concert saga continues.

Hong Kong police

Hong Kong police could deploy facial recognition tech in CCTVs by end of year

Technology will enable officers to identify suspects and missing people in real time, and force will also install surveillance cameras on patrol cars.

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My Take

My Take | The future of surveillance tech is already here – in the US, not China

Chinese citizens enjoy public safety in exchange for compromised privacy. In the United States, people are facing an increasingly unchecked state.

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Signage for the company Palantir at the New York Stock Exchange during the company’s initial public offering on 30 September, 2020. Photo: EPA-EFE
United States

Coldplay’s jumbotron captures – what exactly? The internet has its theories

A US firm is investigating after a viral clip sparked speculation that its CEO and HR chief had been caught on camera while having an affair.

Chris Martin of Coldplay performs in Las Vegas in June. Photo: TNS
US-China relations

China-tied AI tools like DeepSeek face US federal ban over ‘threat’

Bipartisan bid would also prohibit American agencies from procuring or deploying such tech developed in Russia, Iran and North Korea.

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Indonesia

Indonesia is buying more weapons – but can it sustain such defence spending?

Analysts question whether Indonesia has the wherewithal to finance and maintain its defence systems.

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Law

Legal Tales | Some legal ramifications surrounding use of AI in police surveillance

Advantages of certain systems can readily be seen but transparent policies should be formulated for their usage.

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A surveillance camera installed at the intersection of Pedder Street and Queen’s Road Central. Photo: May Tse
Japan

Is Japan’s increased surveillance of remote islands a link to China activity?

Deployments may be to islands already with radar capabilities, but experts say the plan is not a response to recent Chinese maritime presence.

A Japan coastguard patrol ship and helicopter during an operation in southwestern Japan. Photo: Kyodo
The Philippines

Philippines aims to counter China’s drone swarm capacity, learn from Ukraine war

Its military says drones armed with explosives or used for surveillance have become a focus of joint exercises with allies such as the US.

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Artificial intelligence

China’s next-gen surveillance tools get AI boost to target Telegram or VPN users

Annual policing tech expo offers glimpse of law enforcement future as Beijing ramps up domestic security drive amid ‘lone wolf’ attacks.

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Science

China eyes 300-satellite constellation for ultra-high-resolution surveillance

Chutian project aims to establish 300-satellite network offering continuous global coverage with a range of imaging types.

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China’s Chutian-001 experimental satellite has been tested in very low Earth orbit for around a year. Photo: Handout
US-China relations

‘Brazen’ suspected China surveillance sites in Cuba trigger US House hearing

Lawmakers warn that Beijing may be expanding intelligence footprint near American soil and urge Trump administration to take firmer stance.

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The Philippines

Philippines-US anti-drone drill signals rising threat of unmanned weapons

The drill involving two counter-drone systems comes after China’s reported use of drones in the disputed South China Sea in recent months.

Hong Kong police

Hong Kong police consider unleashing robot dogs for law enforcement

Other initiatives include the use of drones and linking surveillance camera systems with other government departments.

Commissioner of Police Joe Chow said that the force is studying the use of robots and robot dogs to reduce manpower. Photo: Reuters
Australia

Australia boosts Philippines’ South China Sea defence with 20 drones

Australia’s gift comes days after a near-collision between Philippine and Chinese coastguard vessels in the South China Sea.

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A drone hovers above a Philippine coastguard patrol vessel during a handover ceremony in Bataan province on Tuesday. Photo: EPA-EFE
China technology

Editorial | Facial recognition in China calls for protective measures

Hong Kong needs to bear this in mind as mainland China brings in new rules to ease public concerns.

Japan

The rattle of Okinawa: Chinese drones probe Japan’s defences

Japan’s air force scrambled jets to shadow the drones, which analysts believe were probing Tokyo’s military readiness and assertiveness.

Artificial intelligence

Opinion | DeepSeek raises fear of a cold war powered by accessible AI

The US must abandon its evidently futile tech sanctions on China and instead work with it to set clear rules governing AI use.

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Illustration: Craig Stephens
US-China tech war

Chinese surveillance tech firm Dahua exits projects in Xinjiang

The company was added to a US trade blacklist in 2019 on claims it aided in human rights abuses in Xinjiang.

A Dahua security camera. Photo: AP Photo
Hong Kong police

Hong Kong police to put up nearly 6,400 more surveillance cameras over 3 years

Police say 612 cameras already installed under scheme’s first phase have helped to crack 97 cases so far, ranging from murder to assault.

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US-China tech war

Sanctioned camera maker Hikvision ends five government contracts in Xinjiang

The surveillance camera maker, blacklisted by Trump in 2019, did not say why it was now ending contracts for projects completed in 2018.

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