In cyberspace, China’s aim is to control and censor, no matter what it says
Zhou Zunyou says China’s draft law on cybersecurity shows clearly that its intent is to control free speech, rather than protect rights
READ MORE: Cybersecurity is a worthy goal, but the internet is also about free information flows
Every time China is accused of curbing freedom of expression in cyberspace, Beijing argues that such freedom requires limits and that it manages – rather than censors – cyberspace, in accordance with the law. Since “the rule of law” has become a motto of the Communist Party, one may wonder what policies China will put in place to address the internet risks and whether criticism of China’s cyberspace censorship is justified. This makes it all the more important to carefully study the draft cybersecurity law it released in July.
If history is any indication, when the two fundamental human values – security and liberty – are conflated, the latter usually has little chance of survival
A high point of the cybersecurity bill is the leadership role awarded to the Cyberspace Administration of China. As such, the agency will be elevated to a powerful internet regulator, with responsibility for administering, coordinating and supervising cyberspace affairs; other public offices will play only subordinate roles.
The agency is headed by Lu Wei, who is also deputy head of the Propaganda Department, a party organ in charge of ideology. Lu’s position within the party shows that the internet regulator is focused on cyberspace censorship above all.
Close scrutiny of the draft law underscores that censorship. While Articles 34 to 39 include measures designed to protect personal information, Articles 40 to 43 concern the duties of internet service operators and the powers of government agencies to stop or block the transmission of any – personal or non-personal – information prohibited by law. Given that all these provisions are in one chapter titled “internet information security”, it is questionable whether their real purpose is to protect cyberspace privacy or implement censorship.