China has implemented a nationwide cyber identification system, marking the end of a year-long pilot phase and signaling its official roll-out. This initiative has faced criticism.
The cyber ID application, introduced on July 15, 2025, generates an encrypted string to enable online identity verification without requiring individuals to disclose their real names or ID numbers. Authorities state that participation remains voluntary and the program is supported by various government departments, such as the Ministry of Public Security and the Cyberspace Administration of China.
Legal concerns and online skepticism
Government officials assert that the measure aims to boost data security while minimizing personal information collection. According to a representative from the Southwest University of Political Science and Law, who wrote in an article for a public security bureau, pilot tests have reduced user data collection by 89%. The official likened the program to digital identity frameworks used in Europe and Singapore, emphasizing that the voluntary nature of participation is key.
Despite these assurances, there has been significant skepticism on Chinese social media. Posts on platforms like RedNote question whether the new ID system genuinely enhances privacy, with users speculating it may facilitate more extensive monitoring of online activities. The number of platforms supporting the system has increased to 67, including major services managed by Tencent, Alibaba, and ByteDance.
China has long enforced real-name registration requirements for digital services. Rules introduced as early as 2010 mandate ID verification for mobile phone registration, while regulations from 2017 require platforms such as messaging services and online forums to collect users’ official identification numbers.
Legal experts expressing concerns about the cyber ID system have faced censorship. A professor at Tsinghua University questioned the necessity of the program in a July 2024 Weibo post, arguing that existing regulations had already achieved full real-name compliance among internet users. She suggested that the actual purpose was to strengthen online behavioral control rather than personal data protection. Her post was swiftly removed and she faced a three-month suspension on her posting privileges.
A separate article by another law professor at Peking University warning of comprehensive tracking capabilities through a unified online identity system was also deleted from the university’s official WeChat account.