China Requiring You To Submit Photo ID To The Gov't If You Want To Create A Website

from the that'll-work dept

This isn't really a surprise given China's massive internet censorship ("Great Firewall") efforts, but apparently the Chinese government is now requiring anyone who wants to set up a website in the country to submit their identity cards and photos of themselves before they can build a site. Oh yeah, plus they have to meet with gov't regulators to get approval to register and set up a website. In other words, the crackdown is spreading... though plenty of folks in China appear to be getting around these new rules by setting up websites outside of China. In the meantime, what a way to kill the sort of entrepreneurial web spirit you need: imagine how many internet sites would never get created if they first required approval by a government bureaucrat?
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Filed Under: censorship, china, registration, regulations


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  • icon
    ChurchHatesTucker (profile), 24 Feb 2010 @ 6:53pm

    Good Lord!

    It's like Italy, there!

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Yargh, 24 Feb 2010 @ 7:11pm

    China, I am dissapoint.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    NAMELESS.ONE, 24 Feb 2010 @ 7:56pm

    Don't worry COMING SOON TO YOU

    ya know how them corporations all lied about changing china to be more democratic...looks to me like other way around

    makes ya wonder don't it.
    takes picture a my ass and hands it over

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 24 Feb 2010 @ 7:58pm

    The BBC story is startlingly short on details. I wonder how the Chinese government will define "start a website", since that's such an extremely nebulous term. Third party blog tools? Facebook? Twitter? Shared google docs? Message boards? Which of these and under what circumstances constitutes starting a web site? What if I serve content from a port other than 80? What if it's plain text and not html? Is that still a "web" site?

    I expect it's just a tool that they'll use as a pretext to throw "dissidents" in jail for posting comments on youtube, rather than clarifying and then adhering to the actual text of the law.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    The Sarcastic-Mike, 24 Feb 2010 @ 8:08pm

    We have to tame this here wild western-like internet and what better place to start than China!

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    kellythedog (profile), 24 Feb 2010 @ 8:09pm

    Apply for website

    Maybe its a good thing, then that country will only have one " hello Kitty" type fan site.
    Where is that SarcMark when I need it.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 24 Feb 2010 @ 9:17pm

    Now for the US

    You know, every time the Chinese government does something like this, it seems that the US gov't gets jealous and tries to find a way to do something similar.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    :), 25 Feb 2010 @ 12:13am

    At least they are open about it.

    http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/_improper_use_of_copyright.php

    Microsoft on the other hand, cooperates fully with the law enforcement agents and even have a "spy manual" :)

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 25 Feb 2010 @ 4:18am

    Yeah... totally shocking. This IS China and all.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 25 Feb 2010 @ 5:57am

    Australia is probably taking notes.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 25 Feb 2010 @ 6:19am

    I think that this is a good idea... this will stop some of the bs spam and malware sites and make people responsible for the content they have online

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      Alan Gerow (profile), 25 Feb 2010 @ 10:12am

      Re:

      If you really believe that, then I have $20,000,000 in inheritance funds that I need help transferring. Please contact me regarding this 100% risk-free deal that can make you a millionaire¡

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 25 Feb 2010 @ 9:08am

    so?

    and just imagine how few people would drive cars if they had to apply to the government and show a valid ID.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 25 Feb 2010 @ 2:40pm

    interesting...

    I actually like the idea of showing your ID to register domain name. I know folks hates it when a "goverment" controls the Internet, but this allows more accountablity on domain name.

    I'm interested in hearing more pros and cons.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Overcast (profile), 1 Mar 2010 @ 12:02pm

    So... they could use the web and create one in India...

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    sahrooz, 18 Mar 2010 @ 5:48am

    333

    darya

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Car Transport, 14 Jun 2010 @ 8:43am

    Imagine That!

    Thats kind of insane really, imagine if I had to register all my domains using a photo i.d.? That would be impossible as sometimes you purchase a domain name and don't want your real name associated with it, like a social media page or the like. This site Enclosed Car Transport was purchased from the original owner, and would be detrimental to the business to have the downtime it would create if you had to show I.D. to register a domain

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Bushra, 6 Oct 2010 @ 12:03pm

    love

    I beleive by "start a website" they mean, register a domain name.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    nosheen, 9 Dec 2010 @ 1:50am

    forex

    new site u see that?

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    suriya, 9 Dec 2010 @ 1:51am

    forex

    new n latest site

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    suriyaa, 10 Dec 2010 @ 3:46pm

    forex

    new latest info....

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    minnie, 13 Feb 2011 @ 7:02pm

    link to this | view in chronology ]


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