Netizens in China cannot post a comment on Weibo, a social-media service, or buy something on Pinduoduo, an e-commerce site, without first using their national ID or phone number to register with such platforms. That allows the services and, more important, the government to keep tabs on what people are doing online. It helps the authorities to combat such scourges as cyber-bullying—or to find people who criticise China’s ruler, Xi Jinping. Internet firms use the consumer data for their own financial gain.
But now the government wants to cut out the firms and assume responsibility for verification on the internet. On July 26th the Ministry of Public Security and the Cyberspace Administration of China released a draft proposal to issue netizens with a digital ID that could be used anywhere on the web. Under a pilot version of the scheme, users must go through steps such as facial recognition and a check on their national ID. All their information is then stored in a government database.
The proposed digital-ID system would reduce “the excessive collection and retention of citizens’ personal information by internet platforms”, say Chinese regulators. For example, Tencent, a digital giant, collects data on people chatting, gaming, investing and hailing rides via its platforms. It and other big tech firms have come under increased scrutiny in recent years. Concerned about their power and the political loyalty of their executives, the government has tightened its leash on the companies. But it has portrayed its actions, including the digital-ID plan, as a way to protect Chinese consumers.
Some online influencers have echoed the state’s messaging. They complain that there are too many companies collecting too much data and that their personal privacy is not protected. But other commenters have expressed fear that the digital-ID plan would increase the government’s control over the internet and make it even easier for the authorities to track people online. The claim of protecting personal information is “nothing more than a ruse”, wrote Lao Dongyan, a law professor at Tsinghua University, on Weibo.
Even if one believes the government, its own data-security efforts leave much to be desired. In 2022 a hacker claimed to have obtained information on 1bn Chinese citizens from a Shanghai police database. Some cash-strapped local governments are also looking to profit from the information they collect by selling the rights to establish data-management platforms which could charge users for access.
The biggest concern, though, is that the government will make the new system mandatory and abuse it. Critics point to an anti-fraud app that the Ministry of Public Security launched in 2021. Though it was ostensibly voluntary, many people said they had little choice but to download it. The app was then used to identify people who viewed overseas financial news sites, reported the Financial Times. When it comes to the digital ID, the government’s real aim is “controlling people’s behaviour on the internet”, wrote Ms Lao. Her post was quickly removed by state censors.
© 2024, The Economist Newspaper Limited. All rights reserved. From The Economist, published under licence. The original content can be found on www.economist.com
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Published: 16 Oct 2024, 06:00 PM IST
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