A window on the Mozilla Firefox browser shows the browser has blocked the Adobe Flash plugin from activating due to a security issue on July 14, 2015 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo : Getty Images/ Sean Gallup)
Terrorism and fake news have given the Chinese authorities' move to tighten the Internet regulations in the country a boost in the arm. Speaking at the recently-concluded third World Internet Conference in Wuzhen several Chinese officials as well as business leaders advocated for tougher cyber security laws.
Pointing to the slew of false news spread by militants during the U.S. presidential elections through the social media, these Chinese speakers asserted that cyberspace had turned out to be dangerous as well as unmanageable. Hence, there is an urgent need for stricter cyber security laws.
The second in-charge at the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), Ren Xianling, compared the rigid cyber security laws to "brakes on a car," Reuters reported. Ren also suggested the use of identification systems for to "reward and punish" netizens posting fake news and rumors.
Their comments come in the wake of a backlash faced by U.S. social networks Facebook Inc and Twitter Inc face regarding their role in spreading false and malicious information produced by users. A section of people are of the view that such rumors actually facilitated the Republican nominee Donald Trump's victory in the election.
The ceremony was inaugurated with a video message from the Chinese president Xi Jinping. In his message, Jinping said that his country was eager to work with the global community to support the general interests of mankind as the fundamental. He asserted that China will pursue the idea of network sovereignty, encourage global Internet governance towards an unbiased and practical direction, and help nitizens understand the importance of cyberspace, Xinhua reported.
Nevertheless, a series of Internet laws introduced by China have raised apprehensions that the authorities are trying to increase its control on foreign companies as well as opponents. Many, including human rights groups, have condemned China for a contentious cyber security law introduced earlier this month.
According to foreign business groups, the new law may block the entry of overseas companies into the Chinese market. There are others who apprehend that the controls introduced by China may also get in the way of growth and innovation, which have been boosting China's influence in the global technology sector.
Watch proceedings at the third World Internet Conference in Wuzhen, China, below:
