AMN/ WEB DESK
In a move to impose more restrictions and expand its censorship mechanics, China plans to restrict the use of mobile file-sharing services such as AirDrops and Bluetooth. The national internet regulator on Tuesday launched a month-long public consultation on the proposals. This will restrict service providers to prevent the spread of illegal and undesirable information, among other things. Proposals unveiled by the Cyberspace Administration of China on Tuesday require users to prevent and resist the production, copying and distribution of undesirable information. Those who do not comply must be reported to the authorities, the draft regulations say. Phone and app developers who want to continue operating in China will have to play by the new rules or be culled from app stores, said an anonymous source.
The new regulations restrict the very features that activists find useful about file-sharing – such as being able to share content with strangers’ without waiting for them to accept the files; or their permission to pair devices. The regulations include a feature that lets users put specified contacts on a blacklist, which effectively lets them block certain devices from sharing files. There is also a provision for users to register complaints.
While China defends these regulations in the name of national security and public interest, the move tries to plug the loopholes in suppressing the anti-government sentiments.