July 8, 2015
China has published a draft cybersecurity law that consolidates Beijing’s control over data, sparking concerns about speech, dissent and intellectual property rights.
The measure, released by the legislature in Beijing this week, would elevate Beijing’s ability to obtain records of Internet users, block material it considers illegal and force businesses to provide government access to their software codes.
It would allow the government to shut down Internet access in areas where it deems public security is threatened, as well as require Internet users to use their real names, codifying a longtime goal of the government. The draft also would require data collected in China to be stored in China.