China – Germany accuses China of using fake LinkedIn profiles to recruit informants (New York Times)

By memberservices@staffingindustry.com (Danny Romero)

Germany’s domestic intelligence agency has accused China of using LinkedIn, as well as other social media sites, in order to spy on the government, the New York Times reports. China has denied the accusations. In an investigation, the agency said that more than 10,000 citizens were targeted by Beijing with Chinese agents posing as leaders of think tanks and recruiters as well as offering all-expenses-paid trips to China and meetings with influential clients. A spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in China called the investigation “complete hearsay and groundless.” Meanwhile, Hans-Georg Maassen, the president of the German intelligence agency, called the efforts “a broad attempt to infiltrate Parliaments, ministries and administrations.” LinkedIn said it would deactivate the accounts of users that German officials had identified as spies, though it would not say how many. LinkedIn added that was conducting its own investigation.

Source:: China – Germany accuses China of using fake LinkedIn profiles to recruit informants (New York Times)