New Digital ID System is Optional, Not Mandatory, Ministry Researcher says
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China’s top public security body sought to clarify that its newly proposed digital ID system is an alternative to current identity authentication methods, not a mandatory requirement, responding to public concerns the ID policy would oblige netizens to be licensed to use the internet.
The national cyberspace ID system, put forward last month by the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) and the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), seeks to provide a “safer and more convenient option in scenarios where users need to prove their identities,” state-run Xinhua News Agency said in a report , citing a ministry researcher.
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- China proposed a voluntary digital ID system as an alternative to current identity authentication methods.
- The digital ID aims to enhance security and convenience by reducing the need to share explicit personal information with internet platforms.
- The draft rules have sparked debate on personal data security, with a public comment period recently concluded.
- 2024-08-23：
- Yu Rui, a researcher from the First Research Institute of the MPS, stated that the original authentication methods can continue to be used, and people can access the internet normally without a cyberspace ID or a cyberspace license.
- 2024-08-25：
- One-month public comment seeking period for the draft version of the 'national cyberspace identity authentication public service management' ended.
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