China has recently initiated a public consultation period lasting one month to gather feedback on proposed restrictions.
It is aiming to tighten its control over mobile file-sharing services, including popular platforms like AirDrop and Bluetooth, as part of its ongoing censorship efforts.
The objective is for service providers to take measures to prevent the dissemination of illegal and what they consider “undesirable” content, among other goals. However, activists are concerned that these restrictions will further impede their ability to mobilize people and share information.
In China, where the internet operates under strict control through the Great Firewall, file-sharing services like Bluetooth and AirDrop play a significant role. The proposed measures are seen as an expansion of the existing tightly-controlled internet regime in the country.
In recent years, activists opposing the government in China have increasingly relied on AirDrop as a means to organize and share their political demands. This tool has been used by some activists to distribute anti-Xi Jinping posters on the Shanghai subway, coinciding with the Chinese president’s anticipated third term as the country’s leader.
AirDrop has gained popularity among activists due to its reliance on Bluetooth connections between nearby devices. This allows them to share information anonymously with strangers without disclosing personal details or relying on a centralized network that could be monitored.
However, following Xi’s successful third term, Apple released a modified version of AirDrop in China, imposing limitations on its functionality. Chinese users of iPhones and other Apple devices are now restricted to a 10-minute window for receiving files from non-contacts. After 10 minutes, they can only receive files from individuals listed as contacts. Apple did not provide an explanation for why this update was initially implemented in China, but the company has faced criticism over the years for allegedly accommodating the demands of the Chinese government.
According to activists, the recent measures introduced by China further restrict the limited file-sharing tools available to them. However, China has justified these regulations by citing national security and public interest concerns.
The proposals presented by the Cyberspace Administration of China on Tuesday outline requirements for users to “prevent and resist the production, copying and distribution of undesirable information”. The draft regulations specify that individuals who fail to comply should be reported to the authorities.
Additionally, users would be required to register with their real names before being able to utilize file-sharing services, and these services must be deactivated by default.
“The authorities are desperate to plug loopholes on the Internet to silence opposing voices,” says Lin Shengliang, a human rights activist based in the Netherlands, suggesting that additional regulations of this nature may be implemented in the future.
Mr. Lin left China after facing brief detention in Shenzhen for producing T-shirts featuring a quote from a Chinese businessman and political activist living in exile.
“This is reminiscent of China heading towards a society depicted in George Orwell’s 1984,” he remarks, alluding to the cautionary tale about totalitarianism.
A software engineer, wishing to remain anonymous, stated that phone and app developers seeking to continue their operations in China will need to comply with the new regulations, or risk being removed from app stores.
” Like WeChat, developers will have to provide censorship capabilities and be subject to take-down orders. These new rules could be a show-stopper for non-Chinese applications”, he added.
