China passes ‘dangerous’ new cybersecurity law
Rockall CHINA passed a controversial cybersecurity bill yesterday tightening restrictions on online freedom of speech while imposing new rules on online service providers, raising concerns Beijing is further cloistering its heavily controlled internet.
The ruling Communist Party oversees a vast censorship system – dubbed the Great Firewall – that aggressively blocks sites or snuffs out internet content and commentary on topics considered sensitive, such as Beijing’s human rights record and criticism of the government.
And it has aggressively blocked major companies such as Goog- le and Facebook from offering their services in its domestic cyber space.
The law, which was approved by the National People’s Congress Standing Committee, is largely focused on protecting the country’s networks and private user information.
However it also bans internet users from publishing a wide variety of information, including anything that damages “national honour”, “disturbs economic or social order” or is aimed at “overthrowing the socialist system”.
A provision requiring companies to verify a user’s identity effectively makes it illegal to go online anonymously.
And companies providing online services in the country are required to provide “technical support and help” to public security organs investigating “crimes”, the law said – which would normally include those related to speech.
The legislation drew a wave of criticism from rights groups and foreign business organisations, who said its vague language and overreaching security requirements would restrict freedom of speech and throw up barriers to global companies hoping to serve China’s enor- mous market of more than 710 million Internet users.
“This dangerous law commandeers internet companies to be de facto agents of the state, by requiring them to censor and provide personal data to the authorities at a whim,” said Patrick Poon, China researcher at Amnesty International.
“If online speech and privacy are a bellwether of Beijing’s attitude toward peaceful criticism, everyone – including netizens in China and major international corporations – is now at risk,” said Sophie Richardson, China Director of Human Rights Watch.