BEIJING: China Monday passed a controversial cyber security bill further tightening restrictions on online freedom of speech raising concerns that it could intensify already wide ranging Internet censorship.
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.
The law which was approved by the National People s Congress Standing Committee 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.
The law requires companies to verify a user s identity effectively making it illegal to go online anonymously. It also includes provisions for protecting the country s networks and private user information.
Early drafts of the legislation drew a wave of criticism from rights groups and businesses which objected to its vague language.
Foreign companies in particular expressed concern about language that would require them to cooperate with Chinese authorities to protect national security broadly worded language that was included in the final version of the law.
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 overseas based rights group Amnesty International.
Chinese authorities have long reserved the right to control and censor online content. But the country stepped up its controls in 2013 launching a wide ranging internet crackdown that targeted activists and focused on the spread of so called internet rumours.