Challenges of Online Anonymity and Proposed National Internet ID in China

Challenges of Online Anonymity in China

In China, maintaining anonymity on the internet is an increasingly difficult endeavor. Websites and applications are mandated to verify users through their phone numbers, which are intrinsically linked to personal identification numbers assigned to all adults in the country. This stringent requirement raises concerns about privacy and user control over personal data.

Recently, a proposal from China’s internet regulators could further complicate matters. The Ministry of Public Security and the Cyberspace Administration of China have suggested that the government assume responsibility for user verification, introducing a national internet ID that individuals would use across various online platforms. This initiative is framed as a measure to enhance privacy and combat online fraud.

The regulators assert that a national internet ID would help minimize the excessive collection and retention of citizens’ personal information by internet platforms that currently implement real-name registration. According to the proposal, the use of this ID system by websites and apps would be voluntary, and public comments are being solicited until the end of August.

For years, the Chinese government has maintained stringent control over information and closely monitors citizens’ online behaviors. In recent times, major social media platforms, including the microblogging site Weibo, the lifestyle app Xiaohongshu, and the short video platform Douyin, have begun displaying the locations of users in their posts. This development adds another layer to the ongoing debate about personal privacy in the digital realm.

The proposal has sparked significant discussion on Weibo, where it quickly became a trending topic following its announcement on Friday. Many users expressed concerns that too many different applications currently have access to their personal information, echoing the regulators’ apprehensions.

However, some legal scholars in China caution that a national internet ID system could grant the government excessive power to monitor online activities. Lao Dongyan, a law professor at Tsinghua University, warned in a post—subsequently removed—that the stated aim of protecting personal information may merely serve as a façade for imposing routine social control. She likened this system to the Chinese government’s health code app, which was utilized to track individuals’ movements during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Another academic, Shen Kui from Peking University, articulated in an online commentary that a centralized internet ID could instill fear among users when navigating the internet. He emphasized that the potential risks and consequences associated with a unified “internet ID” and “internet license” are profound and troubling.