The Chinese Communist Party’s so-called “internet ID card” will officially be implemented on July 15th. From now on, netizens will be required to register with their real names and will be issued a “web ID” and “web certificate” by the authorities, to be used on internet platforms that require real-name authentication.
According to a report by The Economist, this could potentially become a national-level “centralized surveillance-style panopticon” by the Chinese Communist Party, aimed at strengthening control over online speech and behavior, involving around 1.1 billion Chinese internet users.
The Chinese Ministry of Public Security, Cyberspace Administration, and six other departments jointly announced the “National Public Service Management Measures for Internet Identity Verification.” According to reports from mainland China, public service platforms for applying for web IDs and web certificates are now online, and applications require documentation such as “residence cards for residents of Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan,” passes for travel between Hong Kong, Macao, and mainland China, foreign permanent residence cards, or passports. Facial recognition and linking a mobile phone number are also required, even for minors.
The new digital ID is currently linked to over 400 applications, including major online platforms, administrative services, educational testing, cultural tourism, and health and hygiene industries.
Despite the Chinese authorities claiming it is “voluntary” and will not restrict unregistered users from using internet services, many are concerned that it may become gradually mandatory in the future. Observers of internet big data, Cao Lei, told Epoch Times that he believes this is a phased implementation of a monitoring system.
Zhang Hong, a sociologist at Tsinghua University, expressed to Epoch Times that while theoretically, internet real-name registration can reduce fraud and malicious accounts, from the mobile phone real-name system to the current internet new ID system, crime has not decreased significantly, and bank deposits of depositors are still being stolen.
Lao Dongyan, a law professor at Tsinghua University, previously stated in an article that the system of web IDs and web certificates is equivalent to expanding criminal investigation measures originally targeting suspected criminals to apply to all ordinary people, which clearly violates legal principles.
Many netizens are also expressing unease about this. A resident of Dongguan, Chen Xiaoping, told Epoch Times, “With the comprehensive promotion of real-name registration, the space for internet freedom is getting smaller and smaller. We have to be very cautious when expressing our opinions, fearing being watched closely.”
News Coverage Production Team