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| Behind Every Tap: A Glimpse into the Shadowed World of Digital Surveillance |
Foreign intelligence agencies aren’t just
watching us—they’re inside our lives, slipping through the cracks of social
media platforms we use every day. TikTok, WeChat, Telegram, VK—they’ve all come
under a new level of scrutiny. These apps are no longer just about sharing
videos, messaging friends, or networking; they’re powerful tools, feeding
sensitive data straight into the hands of foreign governments eager to
undermine America. And the public? Well, they’re largely unaware.
Take TikTok, for instance. It’s known for
dance trends and viral clips, but in reality, it’s become a lightning rod for
national security concerns. In 2022, an internal investigation revealed that
ByteDance employees, TikTok’s parent company, had crossed a line: they accessed
data on American users, including two U.S. journalists covering the tech
industry. ByteDance staff in China were tracking these journalists’ IP
addresses, essentially trying to pinpoint where they were. Imagine that—an app
you use to watch dance videos now has employees monitoring your location.
And that’s just scratching the surface.
There’s a deeper, darker fear that TikTok’s data pipeline could be an open door
to the Chinese government. That means any piece of information—from your
viewing history to your contacts—could be exploited for influence,
surveillance, or worse.
The Canadian government didn’t take that
threat lightly. They recently demanded TikTok shut down its local operations,
labeling it a national security risk. Their intelligence officials are clear on
the danger: China has the power to use TikTok to harvest personal data on
Canadians, turning them into unsuspecting sources of intelligence.
TikTok may be the poster child, but it’s
not the only game in town. China, Russia—they’re all finding ways to pull us
in, gathering our data and keeping us blissfully unaware of what’s really
happening behind the scenes. And while we scroll and click, they’re collecting
details that could help them manipulate, control, and ultimately weaken America
from the inside out. So next time you open one of these apps, think about who
might be watching.
In the U.S., Congress has sounded the
alarm on TikTok, outlining three dangers that should make anyone think twice.
First, TikTok might be more than a fun app—it could be part of a quiet
influence campaign to sway American politics in China’s favor. Second, it’s a
data goldmine, giving China access to a treasure trove of personal information
on Americans. And third—and this one’s a kicker—there’s the chance TikTok could
inject malicious software onto American devices, potentially opening a backdoor
straight to Chinese intelligence. Imagine that, a spy operation hidden inside
an app on your phone.
But don’t think it stops there. WeChat,
another powerhouse app run by Chinese giant Tencent, offers messaging,
payments, news—you name it, it’s got it. But WeChat’s data? It’s fair game for
the Chinese government, thanks to their ironclad data-sharing laws. They can
order Tencent to hand over user information without even a whisper to the
people involved. Not surprisingly, U.S. Intelligence is worried that WeChat
could be surveilling Americans, especially those of Chinese descent or people
with sensitive government roles. Contact lists, location history, even daily
activities—it’s all there for the taking.
And Russia’s VKontakte, or VK, is right in
line with this playbook. VK is Russia’s largest social network, and like in
China, Russian data laws force VK to cough up information anytime the
government asks. For Russian authorities, VK’s compliance isn’t just
convenient; it’s essentially a free pass to monitor users both inside Russia
and abroad. Imagine working in a sensitive role, only to realize that
everything you’ve shared, liked, or posted could be sifted through by Russian
intelligence at a moment’s notice.
All of these platforms add up to one
unnerving truth: the apps we trust to keep us connected are the very ones
foreign governments are using to get an inside look at America. The goal? To
sway, surveil, and, ultimately, weaken. It’s a stark reminder that sometimes,
the biggest threats aren’t hiding in the shadows—they’re right there on our
screens.
Telegram might look like just another
messaging app, but it’s become a go-to tool for foreign spies. Its encryption
and privacy features have turned it into a refuge for extremist content,
disinformation, and covert operations. Back
in 2020, Iranian intelligence agents used Telegram to reach out to Israeli
officials and activists, posing as allies to build trust and gather sensitive
info. The anonymity and secure channels made it easy for them to fly under the
radar, avoiding detection while gathering intelligence.
And it’s not just Iran. Russian spies from
the FSB and GRU are all over Telegram, using private channels and group chats
to coordinate their missions and send updates without the risk of anyone
looking over their shoulders. In my spy thriller Mission
of Vengeance, CIA operative Corey Pearson and his team track former
KGB agents across the Caribbean and find that they are using Telegram to
communicate—encrypted channels, self-destructing messages, the works. For
Russian agents, it’s the perfect tool, creating a digital maze that’s almost
impossible for anyone else to follow.
This is the world we’re living in, and
here’s the problem: data privacy laws in the U.S. haven’t caught up to this new
threat. While China and Russia scoop up personal data from Americans through
apps and social media, Congress has yet to close the loopholes allowing it.
China’s been doing this for years, quietly amassing data to find patterns,
identify possible recruits, and even profile U.S. officials. A recent Executive
Order on data aims to keep foreign hands off American info, but the rules can
be dodged, and the threat remains.
This isn’t just theory. The way these platforms are set up, mixed with the data laws in China and Russia, poses a real risk. TikTok, WeChat, VK—they all provide channels to funnel user data into systems where foreign governments can get a real-time view of Americans' personal lives, their whereabouts, and even their closest contacts. And the worst part? We use these platforms every day. The danger is as close as the app on your phone.
Robert Morton is a member of the Association of Former Intelligence Officers (AFIO) and the author of the Corey Pearson- CIA Spymaster spy thriller series. Check out his latest spy thriller, Misson of Vengeance
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