UK Security Services Issue Rare Public Warning
The British government has initiated urgent talks with LinkedIn following a rare public security alert from MI5 about prolific Chinese espionage activity on the professional networking platform. The National Protective Security Authority (NPSA), part of the UK's security apparatus, is engaging with major social media companies to make their platforms less attractive to foreign intelligence operatives.
Members of Parliament and peers were informed on Tuesday that they had been targeted by "a covert and calculated" espionage campaign through two specific LinkedIn profiles connected to Chinese intelligence services. According to security officials, the accounts posed as recruiters attempting to gather "insider insights" into British political affairs.
The Fake Profiles and Their Methods
The operation centred on two accounts: Amanda Qiu from BP-YR Executive Search and Shirly Shen from InternshipUnion. MI5 revealed these profiles were using LinkedIn to "conduct outreach at scale" before both were subsequently removed from the platform.
A LinkedIn spokesperson confirmed that "creating a fake account or misrepresenting your identity is a clear violation of our terms of service" and stated the company remains focused on detecting state-sponsored abuse.
The security alert highlighted that operatives often preferred to move conversations to encrypted platforms like WhatsApp after initial contact. The targeting extended beyond politicians to include thinktank employees and geopolitical consultants.
Broader Pattern of Suspicious Approaches
Evidence suggests this forms part of a much wider pattern of approaches. Bryn Harris, chief legal counsel at the Free Speech Union, disclosed he received three separate approaches this year via email from individuals claiming interest in his work on academic freedom.
The messages began months after one of the FSU's members, University College London professor Michelle Shipworth, became involved in a high-profile dispute about a course involving China. Harris was contacted by accounts under the names Lala Chen, Ailin Chen, and Emily Emily, all suggesting moving conversations to WhatsApp.
A private threat assessment concluded the senders were located in the Asia-Pacific region despite claiming to be based in the United States. Harris noted the personalised nature of the emails convinced him this was "more than a random phishing attack".
Government Response and Security Measures
Following the alert, Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle has arranged a cybersecurity briefing for MPs with GCHQ director Anne Keast-Butler and National Cyber Security Centre chief executive Richard Horne scheduled for next week.
MI5 emphasised that people cooperating with such approaches could face prosecution under the National Security Act, which came into force in December 2023. The security service issued the rare semi-public warning not in response to a single incident but due to the volume of recruitment efforts by the Chinese operatives.
One source familiar with the matter revealed that "this sort of thing is endemic on LinkedIn", with tens of thousands of suspicious incidents occurring, including regular approaches to academics and companies with stakes in national security.
The government's approach to China has faced increased scrutiny following the collapse of a high-profile trial involving two men, including a former parliamentary researcher, accused of spying for China. Both deny any wrongdoing.
