The public can send feedback and suggestions on the draft until August 25.
The Ministry of Public Security and the Cyberspace Administration of China have proposed issuing cyberspace IDs for Chinese citizens. This will help protect citizens' personal information, regulate the public service for authentication of cyberspace IDs, and accelerate the implementation of the trusted online identity strategy, said a press release jointly issued by the two departments.
Cyberspace IDs will take two forms, one as a series of letters and numbers, and the other in the form of an online credential. Both of them correspond to an individual's real-life identity but exclude any plaintext information, according to the draft.
The government will establish a national service platform for authenticating and granting cyberspace IDs, while individuals will be able to apply for them. The draft clarifies that the ID will be voluntary – for now – and eliminate the need for citizens to provide their real-life personal information to internet service providers (ISPs). Those under the age of fourteen would need parental consent to apply.
As a result, the excessive collection and retention of citizens' personal information by internet service providers will be prevented and minimized, the draft adds.
It explicitly specifies in what ways cyberspace IDs can be used for online identity verification, and sets out provisions regarding application, cyberspace ID granting, the range of legitimate identity documents required for cyberspace IDs, and obligations for data and personal information security.
The draft also clearly establishes the principle of "minimum and necessity" for personal information collected by the cyberspace ID public service platform, and specifies the obligations of the platform in terms of explanation, notification and data protection when handling users' personal information.
China is one of the few countries in the world that requires citizens to use their real names on the internet. ISPs are required to collect the real names and ID numbers when customers sign up for services and, since 2017, social media sites like Weibo and WeChat must authenticate accounts with documents – including national ID.
Requiring real name registration makes it easier to identify those responsible for online harassment and spread of misinformation, but also raises concerns over stifling of free speech.
In addition, data leakage is also possible on a state-owned platform. For example, the Indian Aadhaar, the largest biometric ID system in the world with over 1.1 billion users, and the Japan's national identification system, MyNumber card, have experienced similar problems.
Sources: Scio.gov.cn, The Register
