The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, China's top legislature, adopted legally binding regulations to strengthen online information protection on December 28, 2012.
The decision is meant to ensure information security, protect citizens' lawful rights, and safeguard national security interests. Among the 12 articles is an identity management policy requiring Internet users to use their real names to identify themselves to service providers.
According to the regulation, "Network service providers will ask users to provide genuine identification information when signing agreements to grant them access to the Internet, fixed-line telephone or mobile telecommunication services or to allow users to post information publicly." |