China has officially rolled out a contentious national cyber identification system, despite growing unease among legal experts and internet users about its implications for privacy and censorship.

According to the South China Morning Post, the new system, backed by the Ministry of Public Security, the Cyberspace Administration of China, and four other authorities, is intended to “protect the security of citizens’ identity information”.

The regulations took effect on Tuesday (July 15), following a year-long beta phase.

The virtual ID app generates an encrypted digital identifier composed of random letters and digits, enabling users to verify their identity on websites without disclosing their real names or national ID numbers.

For now, applying for a cyber ID remains optional.

China has long pursued real-name registration for digital platforms.

Since 2017, online services such as messaging apps, microblogs, and forums have been required to collect users’ official identification numbers.

Similarly, registering for a mobile phone number in China has required valid ID since 2010.

The cyber ID programme entered its trial phase in July 2024, with major platforms such as Tencent’s WeChat, Alibaba’s Taobao and Tmall, and ByteDance’s Douyin offering support for the system.

To date, 67 apps have integrated the cyber ID system.

According to Lin Wei, President of the Southwest University of Political Science and Law, this has led to an 89 per cent reduction in the amount of personal information collected.

Writing in an article published by the public security bureau on Monday (July 14), Lin described the initiative as similar to digital ID systems in the European Union and Singapore, adding that “being voluntary is one of the basic principles” of the cyber ID scheme.

The regulation comprises 16 articles and repeatedly stresses that applying for a cyber ID, promoting its use, and integrating it into online platforms are all “voluntary”.

Nevertheless, online reactions reflect widespread suspicion.

One RedNote user, under the pseudonym “10ya”, questioned whether the system truly offers privacy protection, while another, “Period”, asked if it might serve as a more efficient tool for state surveillance.

Some legal scholars critical of the system have faced repercussions.

Tsinghua University law professor Lao Dongyan publicly questioned its necessity, noting that over one billion internet users in China had already complied with real-name registration.

“The true intention is to regulate people’s behaviour online. The claim of protecting personal information is merely a facade, at least not the primary goal,”

she wrote on her Weibo account in July 2024. Her post was subsequently removed, and she was barred from posting for three months.

Similarly, Peking University law professor Shen Kui warned that a unified network ID could facilitate a centralised surveillance apparatus capable of monitoring and analysing individuals’ entire online activity.

His cautionary article was later removed from the university’s WeChat account.

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