China, already operating one of the world’s most extensive internet censorship and surveillance regimes, is set to implement even stricter online controls with the introduction of a state-issued national internet ID.
This new system, currently voluntary and scheduled for implementation in mid-July, aims to centralise identity checks across all online platforms, replacing the current requirement for individuals to submit personal information to each service separately.
According to published rules, the initiative seeks to “protect citizens’ identity information and support the healthy and orderly development of the digital economy.”
However, experts express significant concerns that this policy will further erode already limited freedom of expression by forcing internet users to relinquish more control to the state.
Xiao Qiang, a research scientist at the University of California, Berkeley, studying internet freedom, called it “an infrastructure of digital totalitarianism,” capable of real-time monitoring and directly erasing dissenting voices across multiple platforms.
Shane Yi, a researcher at China Human Rights Defenders, echoed these worries, highlighting the expanded power it gives the government to track users’ entire digital trails “from point zero.”
Since President Xi Jinping assumed power in 2012, China has tightened its grip on the digital space with an extensive censorship apparatus that removes posts, suspends accounts, and identifies critics to quash dissent.
The finalised rules for the national internet ID were announced after a year-long public consultation period, during which the proposal faced backlash from law professors, human rights experts, and some internet users. Despite this, the final rules remained largely consistent with the draft.
Domestically, Chinese state-run media have promoted the internet ID as a “bulletproof vest for personal information” and a tool to reduce data leaks, claiming over six million people have already registered.
A cybersecurity official from the Ministry of Public Security emphasised its “voluntary” nature while encouraging industries to integrate with it, touting its security and convenience.
Yet, experts like Haochen Sun, a law professor at the University of Hong Kong, question how truly voluntary the system will remain, suggesting it could gradually become a de facto requirement.
Sun also raised concerns about increased data breach risks due to centralised data collection, referencing a 2022 incident where a police database containing personal information of one billion citizens was leaked.
Notably, criticism of the system has largely disappeared online since the finalised rules were unveiled. Xiao Qiang explained that authorities often intentionally space out announcements and implementations to allow critics to “blow off steam,” a tactic proven effective in silencing dissent.
