This becomes particularly important in the intelligence domain of the People’s Republic of China. In excess of 20TB of data are processed each day while supporting OSINT missions relative to counterterrorism, public opinion monitoring, and economic analysis very capably. This/big data and keyword monitoring enable the government, in near real-time, to learn of emerging threats while simultaneously understanding the pulse of the people, enhancing the efficiencies of intelligence by more than 70%.
Using OSINT to Gather Intelligence
From daily online information to high-level data analysis, OSINT has a diversified intelligence-gathering function. China’s internet can produce more than 1.5EB of data every day, an extremely rich resource pool for intelligence collection. By organizing and analyzing such data, the Chinese intelligence personnel is able to rapidly identify useful information, hence greatly raising efficiency in intelligence gathering by over 70%. Through open data in social media platforms, China can quickly learn about public sentiment, predict the potential risks, and take positive measures.
OSINT plays an important role in event monitoring. In early 2020, the Chinese used OSINT technology to collect over 3 billion pieces of pandemic-related information during the pandemic outbreak, such as public sentiment, case data, and citizen reactions. Such large-scale data analysis not only improves the speed at which the government responds but also helps to formulate effective control policies. This demonstrates that the intelligence function of OSINT is not confined to collecting data; rather, it also quickens the government’s ability to act efficiently in response to any crisis.
Within the field of corporate intelligence, applications of OSINT are also very extensive. Statistics show that for companies using OSINT to monitor market competition, the average increase in sales performance was 15%. With this advantage in real-time intelligence, companies are able to respond more flexibly to changes in the market and ensure their competitiveness. However, the centrality of OSINT technology in counterterrorism intelligence is only some of what is becoming increasingly apparent. For instance, the Beijing subway security system depends on OSINT. Processing in excess of 20TB of image and video data daily-intercepting an average of more than 10 security threats each day.
OSINT’s Influence on Public Opinion
OSINT has been an indispensable tool for the monitoring of public opinion. Internet users in China send out more than 4.5 billion social media posts each year. That is citizens’ dynamics in real-time, discussions on hot topics, and feedback related to incidents. By performing systematic data analysis, OSINT identifies the key topics, providing enlightenment for the government and businesses. It enhances the efficiency of information monitoring by up to 80% and quickly finds the potential issues in society that need to be intervened in without delay.
While OSINT can be utilized not only in monitoring public opinion, it also helps decision-makers make sense of such public opinion. According to statistics, over 65% of Chinese users express their opinions on social events through social media, which the OSINT system analyzed to provide a sound basis for policymaking.
OSINT also handles emergencies. During a 2023 earthquake, the OSINT system managed to gather more than 5 million pieces of related public opinion data in just 3 hours so government departments could understand disaster feedback in time and organize rescue resources by priority. This timely and precise data response saved precious time in ensuring support after disasters were handled with precision.
**The Importance of Data Collection in OSINT
Data collection forms the core of OSINT in China. Every day, China’s internet data is over 1.5EB data. This much raw material for intelligence analysis is increasing daily. OSINT will turn this information into actionable intelligence through web crawlers, data mining, and natural language processing to thereby drastically improve intelligence analysis efficiency by over 70%.
OSINT data collection attaches importance to quantity and quality. In social governance, China fully utilizes OSINT, from social networks to blogs to news reports, to make sure that the diversity and accuracy of data are guaranteed. In daily public events, about 80% of real-time feedback comes from social media, and this data enables government departments to seize real-time public sentiment and make prompt adjustments to their responses.
Another very important aspect of OSINT data collection is data security. In terms of collection and storage, China has very strict legal requirements for ensuring the legality and security of the data. Since the introduction of the data privacy law recently, governments and enterprises at all levels have to make sure the regulation complies with data collection, and the cost of illegal data collection has gone up to millions of yuan. While this rise in data security awareness will contribute to the protection of citizens’ privacy, at the same time, it will contribute to the steady development of OSINT within a legal framework.
The companies study the market trends and dynamics of their competitors through open data analysis, hence improving the validity of market strategies by 60%. This type of accurate data collection allows the enterprise to create a competitive edge in the industry. Such wide usage has not only given data support to OSINT but also created conditions for extracting more value in the economy out of raw information by the Chinese intelligence system.
The Role of OSINT in Counterterrorism Intelligence
It has now become a critical factor in counterterrorism intelligence. Processing over 20TB of surveillance data daily helps in the identification of potential threats in a very short time and plays an important role in security control for all major cities and transportation centers. The Beijing subway security system relies on OSINT technology, which scans millions of security check data and images every day, shrinking the time to identify threats down to mere minutes and increasing the efficiency of counterterrorism by leaps and bounds.
Anti-terrorism in China is becoming more systematic, with OSINT as one of the core tools applied in border management, public safety, and emergency response. For example, in the region of Xinjiang, OSINT technology monitors and warns against cross-border activities, intercepting around 50 illegal entry attempts in 2022. This guarantees security not only at the borders but also enhances efficient resource allocation. These cases reflect how OSINT contributes to the accuracy of intelligence work in counterterrorism, reducing intelligence error rates by over 40%.
On social media, OSINT also plays an important role in counterterrorism. Through big data analysis and keyword monitoring, OSINT technology can trace the propaganda and recruitment activities of extremist organizations in real time. In 2021, China made use of OSINT technology to intercept and clean around 5,000 extremist statements, securing cyberspace. This achievement not only testifies to OSINT’s technological strength but also mirrors its powerful function in counterterrorism. OSINT is a bridge for international cooperation in counterterrorism. To share OSINT counterterrorism intelligence with other countries shows that China increases its collaboration with these countries in combating cross-border crime, cybersecurity, and other fields.