China plans to control the use of mobile file-sharing services like AirDrop and Bluetooth, as it aims to spread its censorship tentacles all around the field of technology.
A month-long public consultation on the ideas began on Tuesday, according to China’s internet authority. Apart from other such issues, they urge service providers to stop the distribution of unlawful and “undesirable” content.
In China, where the so-called Great Firewall has produced one of the most closely restricted internet regimes, Bluetooth, AirDrop, and other file-sharing services are essential tools.
Anti-government demonstrators have frequently used AirDrop in recent years to organise their protests and communicate their political demands. For instance, in Shanghai’s subway last October, activists were disseminating anti-Xi Jinping flyers at a time when the Chinese president was vying for an unprecedented third term as head of state.
Because it relies on Bluetooth connections between nearby devices, AirDrop is particularly liked by activists because it enables them to share material with others without disclosing their personal information or doing so via a centralized network that might be watched.
But just after Xi’s third term as the president, Apple’s file-sharing feature in China limited sharing duration for Chinese users. Those in China with Apple phones and other devices of the tech company can share files from outside of their contacts only for 10 minutes and after this they can only receive files from their contacts. It is not yet known why Apple introduced this update but the tech company is accused of appeasing China.
The most recent action, according to activists, suppresses the few file-sharing tools still available to them, despite the fact that China has defended these rules on the grounds of national security and the general good.
According to guidelines released on Tuesday by the Chinese Cyberspace Administration, users must “prevent and resist the production, copying, and distribution of undesirable information.” The draft regulations provide that those who disobey must be reported to the authorities.
Before using these file-sharing services, users must also register using their true names, and the service must be disabled by default.
The new rules limit the very file-sharing features that activists find beneficial, like the ability to send content to strangers without having to wait for them to approve it or for them to give permission to link devices.
The rules include a tool that allows users to “black list” specific contacts, thereby preventing particular devices from exchanging files. Additionally, customers have the option to file complaints.
Online images, videos, and comments are already being censored assiduously while a growing list of phrases is being blocked. Innovative activists have been coming up with innovative ways to get around this, but even the Great Firewall’s few gaps, like AirDrop, are now gradually being filled.
