On August 13, 2024 (Epoch Times), the announcement of the draft of the “National Network Identity Authentication Public Service Management Measures” by the Chinese Ministry of Public Security and Cyberspace Administration at the end of July has sparked concerns and condemnation from both domestic and international communities. Despite the Chinese Communist Party’s suppression of dissenting voices domestically, overseas Chinese continue to voice their protests.
Last Sunday (11th), hundreds of Chinese residents in Los Angeles gathered in front of the Chinese Consulate to protest the authorities’ backtracking policies and the implementation of internet IDs and certificates. Chen Chuang-Chuang, managing director of the China Democracy Party, led the protesters in chanting slogans against the government, expressing their anger that resonated through the streets.
Li Guangmang, a member of the China Democracy Party who had previously worked in software development in mainland China, pointed out that the planned implementation of internet IDs and certificates by the Chinese Communist Party is aimed at censoring and silencing the public, restricting their freedom of expression.
The Chinese government claims that the internet IDs are linked to personal identity information, with the certificates acting as their carriers, and the system will be implemented on a voluntary basis. However, critics argue that under the arbitrary expansion of power by the Chinese Communist Party, the notion of voluntariness could easily turn into a situation similar to the lockdown measures during the recent pandemic, where residents were coerced into staying at home.
During the public opinion solicitation phase of the “measures,” Professor Lou Dongyan from Tsinghua University Law School pointed out that these measures lack a legal basis and raise suspicions of exceeding authority. The notion of voluntariness, in reality, lacks guarantees under the current system and fails to provide legitimate grounds for the internet certificate system. However, critical opinions were quickly censored. People are concerned that once the Chinese government’s measures are enforced, many netizens may be deprived of internet rights.
Li Guangmang believes that the internet certificate system will bring about numerous issues, such as enhancing the efficiency of the Chinese government’s internet surveillance by linking online identities to devices and individuals, thereby enabling real-time monitoring. Additionally, it further expands state power, allowing authorities to directly restrict all forms of expression, where dissenting voices previously would have their accounts shut down by platforms, but now governmental powers can regulate all speech directly.
Li Guangmang learned from reports in the mainland media that individuals are now required to provide identity information or facial scans to access the internet, strengthening the implementation of real-name registration.
Regarding the Chinese government’s claims that these measures aim to prevent privacy breaches, Li Guangmang stated, “From a professional perspective, this claim is baseless because in China, one can easily purchase user data from judicial personnel at very low prices on the internet, particularly on the dark web.” He pointed out that some recent privacy breaches involving well-known online figures stemmed from data leaks within the public security system.
Zhou Yunlong, a former prominent teacher from Chongqing, likened the internet ID and certificate system to the health codes used during the pandemic, stating that if the Chinese Communist Party detects any issues, they can immediately issue a red code, cutting off access to all public services and restricting personal freedoms, effectively installing surveillance and exerting extreme control over speech.
During the annual meeting, the Chinese Communist Party leader stated that passing the test of the internet is a prerequisite for their continued governance. Chen Chuang-Chuang emphasized that the government’s heavy-handed approach, often referred to as the “digital prison,” not only forces people to dance in chains but also aims to brainwash the entire Chinese population to maintain control.
He mentioned that before the implementation of internet certificates, China was already a “digital concentration camp,” with the policy now aiming to raise the walls of this digital prison. This move would make it even more challenging for individuals to bypass these restrictions and censorship.
Chen Chuang-Chuang used “1984 + Brave New World” as a comparison to describe the Chinese Communist Party’s internet control policies. He highlighted the Party’s suppression of freedom of speech while inundating the public with superficial and brainless content, creating the illusion that everything available elsewhere in the world can also be found in China, though none of it is related to genuine freedom.
A young participant, Huang He from Hubei, expressed that by circumventing the censorship and accessing the uncensored internet in 2018, he was exposed to a wealth of truthful information, deepening his understanding of the Chinese government’s oppressive tactics and propaganda.
“People in China are subjected to daily injustices and even persecution by the Chinese Communist Party without any channels to voice their grievances,” Huang He said. Even lower-ranking officials facing persecution are now resorting to online reports for redress, let alone ordinary Chinese citizens.
He voiced concerns that after the implementation of the internet identity card policy, individuals could disappear online at the government’s whims. In instances of forced demolitions, bullying in schools, or the persecution and detention of human rights lawyers by authorities, the system would render people unable to speak out, significantly reducing the cost of the Chinese government’s oppressive rule.
In his speech, Tang Lichun, vice chairman of the Freedom Bell Democracy Fund, likened the Chinese people to living in a large prison, with the Chinese Communist Party seeking to further restrict freedoms by implementing internet surveillance, effectively silencing the Chinese population. He urged for the loud expression of Chinese people’s anger with the slogan, “Restore People’s Freedoms!”