China increases internet control with centralized virtual ID system

China increases internet control with centralized virtual ID system

china has perfected the art of internet monitoring and operates one of the most extensive systems for online censorship and surveillance worldwide. With mandatory identity tests on every online platform, it is almost impossible to stay anonymous.

new measures for internet control

The strictly controlled online environment is now facing even more rigorous interventions with the introduction of a state-based national Internet ID. Instead of submitting their personal data their personal data separately on each platform for identity examination, the government strives to centralize the process by introducing a virtual ID. This ID enables users to register on various social media and websites.

implementation details and goals

The rules for the new, currently voluntary system were published at the end of May and are to come into force in mid -July. According to the published guidelines, the system aims to "protect the identity information of the citizens and to support the healthy and orderly development of the digital economy". However, experts express concerns that the new politics could further endanger the limited freedom of expression by forcing Internet users to give even more control to the state.

The role of censorship

since XI Jinping 2012 has been in power, the country has further exacerbated its control over the digital space through an army of censors. These censors are in use around the clock to remove contributions, block accounts and help the authorities to identify critics, which means that every form of Dissenz cannot even come into their own.

dependence on social media and central control

The finalized rules were published after a proposal that was open to public comment last summer, which is a typical step in the Chinese legislative process. During the public consultation, there was resistance from jura professors, human rights experts and some Internet users, but the finalized rules remained largely unchanged. "This is a state -managed, uniform identity system that is able to monitor and block users in real time," said Xiao Qiang, a research scientist for internet freedom at the University of California, Berkeley. “It can be voted that it does not like to pay off directly from the Internet, so it is more than just a surveillance tool - it is an infrastructure of digital totalitarianism.”

political surveillance and control

The control over China's large part of the global internet has largely been delegated to a decentralized group of different sides, whereby the authorities are partly dependent on social media themselves in order to identify problematic comments. Xiao warned that a central system that uses the Internet ID could make it considerably easier for the government to repay the presence of a user on several platforms at the same time. Shane Yi, a researcher at the Human Rights Organization China Human Rights Defender, said Xiao's concerns and explained that the system of the Chinese government gave expanded power to "do what they think is correct", since the authorities are able to follow the entire digital trace of the user "from point zero".

public reaction and registration

In China, state media described the Internet ID as a "bulletproof vest for personal information" and the system advertised as a possibility to significantly reduce the risks of personal data leaks. According to the Chinese state news agency Xinhua, over six million people have already registered for the ID, which is more than one billion compared to an estimated online population. A cybersecurity officer of the Ministry of Public Security said that the Internet ID service was strictly "voluntary", but the government encouraged various industries and sectors to integrate.

criticism and concerns about data integrity

experts also question how voluntarily the system actually is and warn of the risks of potential data leaks, since personal information is now collected in a centralized manner. Haochen Sun, a law professor at the University of Hong Kong, noted that the system, although it is presented as voluntary, could gradually escape the user. Where the government could tend to promote the spread of this Internet ID check system by incentives and more convenience.

summary and outlook

Despite the numerous communities of experts who express concerns, the final regulation was almost criticized without criticism. While hundreds of apps have been testing the Internet ID since last year, the implementation could lead to a narrowing of digital freedom rights in China. In view of the global incidents of data leaks, for example in the event of an incident in China, in which the personal information of a billion citizens were leaked online, it remains to be seen how safe this new system will ultimately be.