Chinese authorities have been working steadily to "streamline" and "clean up" China's internet.
China's internet environment has seen significant improvement amid the country's efforts to enhance cyberspace governance, an official with China's top internet watchdog told a press conference last week.
Over the past year, more than 57.45 million pieces of content containing illegal or inappropriate information were removed or blocked, said Yang Jianwen, deputy director of the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC).
The CAC has shut down over 4,800 websites and platforms over the past year, contributing to a continuous improvement in the online environment, Yang added.
Yang noted that the CAC has reviewed its previous work to better assess the outcomes and consolidate its achievements, adding that more efforts will be made to strengthen early warning and prevention with a focus on public concerns.
Earlier, Chinese authorities proposed too issue individual online identifiers to citizens. The stated goal of the move is to "protect personal information security" by "minimizing the excessive collection of personal information by Internet platforms."
To obtain a cyberspace ID and certificate through the app, users would be required to upload their ID card, scan their face to verify their identity, and link their account with a phone number.
Experts believe that the ID would enable the authorities to collect all traces individuals leave on the internet, including browsing history. In addition, the cyberspace certificate would in effect make using the internet a licensed privilege that requires approval.
Source: CGTN, Nikkei Asia
