Beijing’s new Token-based ID scheme deepens online surveillance while raising privacy and censorship concerns
On 15 July 2025, China officially rolled out a new national digital ID system—referred to as “internet ID numbers” or “network numbers”—in a move the government presents as a privacy-friendly, real-name verification mechanism. In practice, critics characterise the system as a centralised tool of digital surveillance that may erode online anonymity.
Under the new arrangement, users apply through a government platform using official identification documents and facial recognition. They then receive an encrypted alphanumeric ID and certificate—enabling access to online services without disclosing personal details to private platforms. Though participation is officially voluntary, analysts warn it could become de facto mandatory.
State control and enhanced surveillance
The government maintains that the system protects data privacy by replacing traditional platform-level personal ID verification. But human rights groups and experts contend it grants authorities sweeping power to oversee online activities across platforms. The system centralises identity control, enabling authorities to revoke online access at will and expire a person’s digital presence entirely.
The new measures complement China’s broader surveillance infrastructure—including provincial “police cloud” databases that collect data from sources like health, social media, transport, and transaction records. These databases enable predictive policing and tracking across society.
Privacy and free expression under threat
Activists from Chinese Human Rights Defenders and international NGO Article 19 warn the ID system fundamentally compromises online anonymity. According to researcher Shane Yi:
“Internet users across China already endure heavy censorship and control by the government. The new Internet ID regulations escalate Beijing’s attack on free speech, putting human rights defenders, journalists, lawyers, and anyone who questions authority at even greater risk.”
Michael Caster, Article 19’s Head of Global China Programme, adds:
“Anonymity provides for the privacy and security fundamental to exercising the freedom of opinion and expression. In further chipping away at potential online anonymity … China is clearly seeking to intensify its efforts at silencing critical voices.”
Officials cite benefits amid criticism
Beijing defends the scheme as a safeguard against fraud, platform data misuse, and identity theft. Legal experts in Hong Kong argue the technology reduces reliance on third-party data collection and offers a privacy-preserving alternative to plaintext identification.
Yet fears remain about the risk of data consolidation and misuse. Computer scientist Nguyen Phong Hoang notes the possibility of personalised censorship if the system succeeds—allowing authorities to restrict access for specific users or groups.
Shift in censorship and control strategies
Digital IDs do not significantly expand existing surveillance capabilities. Still, experts see the development as a refinement of China’s already pervasive system. Jessica Batke, writing about Chinese censorship, likens the approach to controlling water flow—steady, adjustable, and comprehensive. “It allows water to flow in when necessary, stop it when necessary,” she observes.
Although true internet anonymity has long been absent in China, this system marks an evolution: a robust mechanism for digital exclusion, behavioural control, and intensified state monitoring.
As the ID system reaches scale—with millions already signed up or registered—it cements China’s model of digital governance: privacy framed as convenience, identity tied to compliance, and control embedded in convenience. Critics argue that this may worsen censorship, restrict digital freedom, and reinforce authoritarian resilience—both within China and as a potential global template.
