And all actions on the Internet will be fully tracked, you understood correctly.
Chinese authorities suggested create a unified system for identifying users on the Internet. The initiative has caused a mixed reaction: while officials talk about protecting personal data and combating fraud, critics see it as yet another tool for total control.
Even without that, the Internet in China can hardly be called a space of anonymity. Access to sites and applications is provided only after verification by phone number, which, in turn, is linked to a personal identification number issued to all adult citizens.
The new initiative assumes that the verification function will be taken away from companies by government agencies. According to the plan of the Ministry of Public Security and the Cyberspace Administration of the People’s Republic of China, this will reduce the volume of personal data that accumulates on Internet platforms.
However, some experts see this as an attempt to centralize the already strict control over the online space. Professor Rose Lukyu of Hong Kong Baptist University notes that a single identification system will allow authorities to track virtually any user activity on the Internet.
However, many Chinese internet users, judging by the comments on social networks, are more concerned about the problem of leaking personal data. Some publicly supported the government’s initiative, reproaching internet platforms for their inability to protect users’ information.
However, a number of lawyers have already criticized the proposal, calling it a threat to internet freedom. Tsinghua University law professor Lao Dongyang, whose public speech on the topic was censored, drew a parallel with the health code system used to track citizens’ movements during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The proposal to create a unified identification system has been put up for public discussion, which will last until the end of August. Time will tell whether this initiative will become law. However, there is little doubt that the Chinese authorities will continue to strengthen their control over the online space.
