China is advancing plans to introduce a national internet ID system, promoted as a way to protect online privacy and reduce fraud. However, many see this as a pretext for tightening government control and stifling dissent, allowing authorities to target anyone critical of the Chinese Communist Party.
The proposal involves users obtaining a “cyberspace ID” through a government app, requiring personal information like ID cards, face scans, and phone numbers. This ID would be used for authentication across online platforms. While officials claim it will limit unnecessary data collection and boost user privacy, the reality could be far more concerning. By centralizing internet control, the government would have unprecedented access to monitor and censor online activity.
Rose Luqiu, a journalism professor at Hong Kong Baptist University, raised alarms, saying, “This internet ID will allow regulators to track all digital behavior. It will undoubtedly alter how people act online.” Though the government insists participation will be voluntary, critics warn this could pave the way for mandatory implementation, as seen with China’s health code app during the COVID-19 pandemic. Law professor Lao Dongyan compared the system to this app, stating that “protecting personal information” is just a cover for more routine social control. Posts from Lao and other critics have been swiftly removed from social media, heightening fears of censorship.
The proposal has ignited debate across social media, with many worrying that the system will soon become obligatory. One Weibo user remarked that losing access to the cyber ID would be like a “death sentence” for one’s digital life.
FAP Editor: This proposal represents the ultimate slippery slope. Beyond becoming mandatory, other nations might adopt similar systems, possibly with good intentions. For instance, Israel’s no-fly list and passenger identification system aimed to combat terrorism but set a precedent that even the U.S. Homeland Security followed. Now, our every move is tracked, despite it being unconstitutional.
China’s government already exerts significant control over the internet, enforcing real-name registration for mobile phones and online services since 2010. A national internet ID system would intensify this control, linking every action online to an individual and potentially silencing dissent. People might be too afraid to voice opinions that run counter to government narratives.
Experts like Shen Kui, a Peking University professor, warned that this system could create an internet climate of fear. “The risks and harms of a centralized ‘internet ID’ are enormous,” he cautioned. Jeremy Daum, from Yale Law School’s China Center, also noted that in China, privacy protections typically apply to individuals and companies, not the government.
The draft of the rules remains open for public feedback, but few believe that opposition will derail the project. If implemented, this national internet ID could further erode online freedom, granting the government even more power to monitor, censor, and control its citizens.
While China’s national internet ID is presented as a security measure, it appears to serve a different purpose: expanding government control over the internet. By closely monitoring online activity, authorities can further suppress dissent and tighten their grip on power. As this proposal moves forward, the concerns voiced by critics seem all too justified, and this could mark a significant regression in internet freedom.
