'Surveillance on Steroids': China's New National Internet ID Will Track Every Click, Post and Login

Tightening its noose around digital lives of citizens, China is on the verge of implementing a national internet ID system, a move poised to fundamentally monitor and restrict every online submission or interaction.

This initiative, dubbed 'surveillance on steroids', promises to meticulously monitor every move of the citizen online, be it casual browsing or postings on social media to website logins.

With one of the world's most comprehensive online censorship and surveillance regimes, China has become adept at policing its internet.

Consequently, mandatory identity verification on every digital platform means users can hardly stay anonymous anymore. This already tightly controlled online environment is now set to become even more restricted, thanks to the upcoming state-issued national internet ID.

Streamlining Surveillance

Instead of individuals having to submit their personal details for identity checks on each platform separately, the government now aims to centralise this process. It plans to achieve this by issuing a virtual ID, which will enable users to sign in across various social media apps and websites.

The guidelines for this new system, which is currently opt-in, were published in late May and are scheduled to take effect in mid-July. According to the official documentation, its purpose is to 'protect citizens' identity information and foster the healthy, orderly growth of the digital economy.

However, experts have voiced concerns that this new policy will further restrict the already limited freedom of expression, compelling internet users to surrender even greater control to the state.

Intensified Digital Control

Since Chinese leader Xi Jinping assumed power in 2012, the country has significantly tightened its control over the digital realm, employing a vast network of censors. Operating around the clock, this force removes online content, suspends user accounts, and assists authorities in identifying critics, effectively suppressing any hint of dissent before it can gain momentum.

The finalised regulations were announced after a proposal that had been open for public feedback since last summer, a standard part of China's legislative process. Over the past year of public consultation, the proposal faced considerable criticism from law professors, human rights experts, and some internet users. Nevertheless, the final version of the rules remained largely unchanged from the initial draft.

'This is a state-led, unified identity system capable of real-time monitoring and blocking of users,' said Xiao Qiang, a research scientist studying internet freedom at the University of California, Berkeley. 'It can directly erase voices it doesn't like from the internet, so it's more than just a surveillance tool – it is an infrastructure of digital totalitarianism.'

Centralising Control

Control over China's vast portion of the global internet has largely been distributed among various groups, with authorities partly relying on social media platforms themselves to identify problematic comments.

However, Xiao warned that a centralised system, utilising the new internet ID, could significantly simplify the government's ability to eradicate a user's presence across numerous platforms simultaneously.

Shane Yi, a researcher at China Human Rights Defenders, an advocacy group, echoed Xiao's concerns. She noted that the system grants the Chinese government increased power to 'do what they want when they see fit" on the internet, as authorities are able to track users' entire digital trail "from point zero.'

Official Narrative: A 'Bullet-Proof Vest'

Within China, state-run media have hailed the internet ID as a 'bullet-proof vest for personal information,' promoting the system as a significant way to reduce the likelihood of personal data breaches.

According to Chinese state-run media Xinhua, over six million people had already registered for the ID as of last month. This figure represents a portion of an estimated total online population of over one billion.

Hundreds of apps began trialling the internet ID last year, even though the new rules only take effect in mid-July. This system originated from a proposal by Jia Xiaoliang, a cyber police deputy director and delegate to China's National People's Congress, in March 2024.

A Suppressed Outcry

When public comments were sought last July, experts and legal scholars immediately voiced opposition. For example, prominent Tsinghua University law professor Lao Dongyan likened the system to 'installing a surveillance device on every individual's online activity' in a Weibo post.

Her post was swiftly removed, and her account was suspended for three months due to 'violating relevant rules.' By late May, when the finalised rules were unveiled a year later, online criticism had virtually disappeared.

Xiao explained this pattern: authorities often space out proposals and implementation, allowing critics to 'blow off steam.' He noted, 'It's done deliberately... Many of their measures follow the same pattern, and they've proven effective.'