China is rolling out a new state-issued national internet ID, set to further intensify its already strict online controls. The system, which becomes effective in mid-July, aims to centralize identity verification across all online platforms, making it even harder for users to remain anonymous.
While Chinese state media promotes the ID as a “bullet-proof vest for personal information” and a boost for the digital economy, experts are raising alarms.
Critics and international observers, including academics and human rights advocates, warn that the “voluntary” system could erode already limited freedom of expression and create a single, vulnerable point for massive data breaches. Over six million Chinese households have already registered for the ID.
