Top legislature adopts online info rules to protect privacy

The top legislature on Friday approved rules to enhance the protection of personal information online and safeguard public interests, requiring Internet users to use real names to identify themselves to service providers when signing web access agreements.

The decision on strengthening online information protection, which has the same legal effect as a law, was adopted by lawmakers at the closing meeting of a five-day session of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC).

The move is meant to "ensure Internet information security, safeguard the lawful rights and interests of citizens, legal entities or other organizations and safeguard national security and social public interests," according to the decision.

The 12-article decision includes an identity management policy requiring Internet users to use their real names to identify themselves to service providers, including Internet or telecommunications operators.

"Network service providers will ask users to provide genuine identification information when signing agreements to grant them access to the Internet, fixed-line telephone or mobile devices or to allow users to post information publicly," the decision says.

Network service providers will strengthen management of information released by users, the decision says.

Service providers are required to instantly stop the transmission of illegal information once it is spotted and take relevant measures, including removing the information and saving records, before reporting to supervisory authorities, the decision says.

It empowers supervising departments to take technical and other necessary measures to prevent, stop or punish those who infringe on online privacy, requiring relevant service providers to give support during investigations.

Citizens who find network information that discloses their identity or infringes upon their own rights, as well as those who suffer harassment from promotional messages, have the right to demand service providers to delete related information or take other necessary measures to stop such practices, it says.

The decision says authorities will protect digital information that could be used to determine the identity of a user or that concerns a user's privacy.