AP uncovers U.S. big tech’s role in China’s digital police state

By Dake Kang, Yael Grauer, Myf Ma, Serginho Roosblad, Marshall Ritzel, Ng Han Guan, David Goldman

Researchers and reporters have long raised questions about how China has used American technology in policing and human rights abuses. Companies have pushed back, saying they weren’t aware of or responsible for the way their technology was being used.

An Associated Press investigation proved those denials false: Chinese police and state-owned defense contractors partnered with American tech firms — especially IBM — to design China’s surveillance apparatus from the top down. American tech companies not only knew, some also directly pitched their tech as tools for Chinese police to control citizens.

The investigation, led by Beijing’s Dake Kang, started with a massive trove of internal emails and a database from Landasoft, the Chinese surveillance firm, obtained by Yael Grauer, a freelance journalist. Grauer and freelancer Myf Ma worked with Kang and others to verify, analyze and report out its contents.

AP reporters and freelance partners combed through tens of thousands of documents to produce a detailed and nuanced cross-format package, which included an online video produced by Serginho Roosblad, featuring startling video animations by Marshall Ritzel, and a photo gallery that highlighted images shot by Ng Han Guan and David Goldman.

Among the many people who worked on the investigation were Garance Burke, Larry Fenn and Byron Tau. Dario Lopez-Mills designed the compelling presentation for APNews.com.

Extreme care was taken given the sensitivity of the reporting. AP reporters obtained classified Chinese government documents that revealed how American companies were involved since the beginning. Burke discussed access to procurements from ChinaFile, a digital magazine published by the nonprofit Asia Society.

The AP team sought sources in a dozen territories across three continents. That included dozens of current and former executives, officials, officers and engineers from China — a difficult task given widespread fear and surveillance. After one interview, Ng and Kang were stopped by Chinese officials and taken to a government building for discussion.

Videojournalists Nathan Ellgren in Washington and Manuel Valdes in Seattle shot interviews for the story, with Valdes making a three-hour drive to Vancouver to get a much-needed expert on camera.

The judges noted the difficulty of reporting out the story in China, the deep sourcing and eye-catching presentation.

For a deeply reported investigation, Kang, Grauer, Ma, Roosblad, Ritzel, Ng and Goldman win this week’s first Best of the Week.

Short version:

An Associated Press investigation found that Chinese police and state-owned defense contractors partnered with American tech firms — especially IBM — to design China’s surveillance system. AP reporters verified a trove of internal documents and emails that showed not only did U.S. companies know about this use, they at times pitched their tech for surveillance.

The investigation was led by Dake Kang with freelancers Yael Grauer and Myf Ma, and supported by visuals from Ng Han Guan, David Goldman and Serginho Roosblad. A creative interactive by Marshall Ritzel and digital production by Dario Lopez-Mills brought the story to life. Others across the newsroom contributed to sourcing, verification and editorial support.

The judges praised the difficulty of reporting inside China, the deep sourcing and multimedia storytelling. For this exclusive and rigorous cross-format effort, the team earns this week’s first Best of the Week.