China Demands Real Names From Mobile Phone Users 187
itwbennett writes "Starting this month, mobile carriers in China are requiring people who set up new mobile phone accounts to register with their real names as part of a new government measure to reduce anonymity among the country's 800 million mobile users. And within 3 years, the carriers must also register the real identities of all existing users, said China Telecom spokesman Xu Fei. The new policy comes as China has been pushing users to register with their real names online. In August, online gamers had to begin real-name registration under regulations that are meant to protect minors from Internet addiction and 'unhealthy' content."
Re:Isn't this the same in the US? (Score:3, Informative)
Not sure if this is still the case, but you used to be able to buy a prepaid phone with cash.
Re:How can this be enforced? (Score:3, Informative)
What you are proposing would be breaking the law. Like any law, people will follow it if they think they may be punished for breaking it. It would be up to China to enforce this if they think it is important.
In the case of India, when someone registers a SIM card he can expect a government official to visit his home and verify his identity shortly after the purchase (India is super paranoid after the Mumbai terrorists used cell phones to coordinate their attacks). I believe officials can visit your registered address anytime after that to make sure you haven't sold the card. If India can enforce a law like this, I'm sure China can.
In reaction to SCAMS (Score:2, Informative)
Speaking as an expat who has been living in China for almost 5 years, this is being SOLD as a reaction to phone scams. It is a general rule that when you deal with real estate agents, art agents and others, do not give them your phone number or you will be bombarded with spam text messages at least 10-15 times a day. On top of this, there is an almost daily report of some crime ring scamming people for money by sending them text messages, or calling them while impersonating someone/some agency they know and trust.
That's how it is sold to the public, who otherwise would make a stink about this kind of thing. Even in this political environment, you have to suger coat the pills a little.
Re:I predict (Score:2, Informative)
Richard Gazinya, here. "Dick" to my friends.
As a high-school freshman, I went by "Ivan Yaganoff". I dated a girl who went by "Phyllis Glass".
We actually did once get a cafeteria monitor to say "Who's Dick Hertz?" At the time, I thought it was the funniest goddamn thing ever in the Universe. Today, of course, I am much more sophisticated, but at the time we cracked up through the rest of the day's classes and straight through to fourth period the next day. "Who's Dick Hertz," indeed.
Re:Unusual? (Score:4, Informative)
Well it seems like Australia actually has some of the most draconian laws in the "western" world concerning things like the internet, anonymity, porn, censorship and so on. And yes, I know Australia isn't in the west.
We have our moments [theage.com.au]
Bzzzzt. Wrong answer. (Score:5, Informative)
Under federal law (or more specifically, the law is tacit on the subject that) ANYONE may ask that you provide a social security number - and use it as an identification number for you - except the government. Now, that comes with some caveats. You are not required to give them your SSN, but in that case they are allowed to deny you their services based on your refusal.
Your state laws may have other provisions, but normally the alternative is that you must give them enough personal identification to uniquely identify you and your entire financial history...which is really the only reason not to give out your SSN. With the information they have, just about anyone can get your SSN for $10.
Re:Isn't this the same in the US? (Score:4, Informative)
Yes, this is still the case. You can buy prepaid phones and replenishment cards with cash at a convenience store and then activate or add minutes online without having to provide proof of identity. Paranoid types will do this at an open wi-fi access point to avoid leaving an IP trail. I know TracFone operates this way, but the other carriers may have a similar policy.
As seen on (Mexican) tv! (Score:5, Informative)
At the end they didn't because too many people didn't register (in the order of millions) and about a month after the deadline the government simply desisted on the whole idea, calling it a "bad idea" and claiming that it was badly implemented.
Too bad the Chinese can't count on that happening, though.
Re:Unusual? (Score:3, Informative)
We have had to show photo id for as long as I can remember in Austraila when getting a new phone or sim card.
A photo-id is required for buying SIM cards in Italy but not for phones unless they contain a SIM card, which is not always the case here.
Re:France does this too (Score:3, Informative)