Apple limits AirDrop on iPhones in China after filesharing feature was used by protesters
GuardianDec 27, 2022
The Facts
China's internet regulator, the Cyberspace Administration, on Tuesday, proposed new guidelines to regulate wireless file-sharing functions such as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi that echo rules imposed on telecommunication companies and online services, seeking public feedback until July 6.
Under the suggested rules, users would have to register with their real names, with service providers being required to prevent the spread of illegal and undesirable information as well as to share data with regulators and police.
The Spin
Pro-China narrative
Beijing is boosting national security by restricting wireless file-sharing services between mobile devices. While the move follows mainland zero-COVID and Hong Kong anti-government protesters' use of the technology to spread subversive messages, it's all about cybersecurity, ensuring that transmission of information that threatens national security can be traced.
Anti-China narrative
Chinese censors are working to plug loopholes to silence all opposition, turning the country into an Orwellian totalitarian tech state. The Communist Party wants to know what is said and control all the information that's shared, forcing Western phone and app developers to play by the new rules and provide the Chinese government with further censorship capabilities.
