Australian study says China uses global apps, games for propaganda

The popular online marketplace is one of the platforms named in a May 2, 2024, report that claims several Chinese social media apps, platforms and online games are collecting users' personal data for the Chinese government. [AP Photo]

An Australian study claims that China's monitoring of global internet users' online habits - a practice that has made TikTok controversial in the United States - extends far beyond the popular social media app to numerous other platforms and even online games.

The Australian Strategic Policy Institute, a research organization that receives funding from the Australian government and others overseas, said in a May 2 report that Beijing's propaganda chiefs are forging ties with Chinese tech companies to gather personal data from a wide range of social media apps or platforms and popular online games.