Thread by @BaldingsWorld

One of the most common questions about the open source data I have received is: it is open source data what could they do with this information? I understand why this question is asked so let me lay out a couple of things launching from this thread about the United Front 1/n

First, understand that the database is already a curated list of influential individuals. They may be influential by their position (such as a prime minister) or by where they are positioned (unknown but working in an important tech lab). The database is already curated 2/n

Second, the database provides more than enough information to draw up a profile or human terrain of an industry, who surrounds the individual you need to get to, where a person is or will be, or who is likely to have access to intellectual property or a decision maker. 3/n

Third, this profile of information gives you more than enough information to then run either influence operations (offering a businessman a sweetheart deal making them favorably disposed to China) through to honeypotting a male politician by knowing where they are 4/n

This all matters because we absolutely know that China engages in and dedicates significant state resources across the range of influence and intelligence operations drawing on everything from the United Front through to planting intelligence agents and hired intellectual 5/n

Thieves in companies and universities. The scale of their activities run the gamut. Keep this in mind when asking whether open source intelligence gathering matters and why Chinese organizations like the United Front are so important to the CCP