The Cyberspace Administration of China issued new regulations on June 27 requiring all online platform operators to authenticate the identity of users and verify account information submitted by users during registration.

The new regulations require the network information service provider to display users’ IP addresses on their account information page, which would make it easier for Beijing to monitor users’ locations.

The new rules will come into effect on August 1, when companies will have to validate each user’s online identity.

“Illegal” posts criticizing the regime

News commentator Lu Bei told The Epoch Times that the new rules allow the regime to maintain its control over information as it faces mounting online criticism.

Lu said Beijing aims to extend its centralized control of information systems into citizens’ daily lives, overseeing their every move. The regime is notorious for using network technology in ways that violate the rights and privacy of ordinary citizens, while failing to monitor the movements of criminals.

On June 28, China’s Ministry of Public Security said on its WeChat public account that its cybersecurity department had investigated more than 600 cases of “illegal” messages by the “Internet Water Army” or “Navy”. Internet” – numerous fake accounts that are paid to post positive comments to inflate companies’ online image and have arrested more than 4,000 suspects, according to the state-run People’s Daily.

The report said these commentators spread unfavorable views about China’s economy and some posted “illegal and harmful information to manipulate or disrupt the order of public opinion online.”

Lu believes that Beijing’s crackdown on the so-called “illegal internet navy” is aimed at preventing people from talking about hot topics, such as the “Iron Chain Woman” human trafficking scandal, the “nightmarish” lockdowns at Shanghai, battered women in Tangshan. incident and the Zhengzhou bank depositor incident.

“All topics that concern the ordinary citizen are deleted and inappropriate comments are filtered, deleted or attached with warning labels. People are deprived of liberty and labeled as criminals because they ‘quarrel and cause trouble’ Lu added.

“Meanwhile, the ‘legal’ internet navy is paid for by the Chinese Communist Party. They would be paid “fifty cents” for each pro-CCP remark or in exchange for a reduced prison term. »

Dorothy Li contributed to this report.