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Apple’s AirDrop in focus as China moves to restrict Wi-fi, Bluetooth file-sharing over ‘national security’ concerns
- Real-name registration among requirements in draft rules posted on top internet watchdog’s website for month-long public consultation
- Move is latest in Beijing’s drive to boost national security after use of AirDrop by mainland zero-Covid and Hong Kong anti-government protesters
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China is planning to regulate file-sharing among nearby mobile devices for “national security” reasons, in a move expected to impact the use of such communication apps such as Apple’s AirDrop.
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According to a draft released by China’s top internet watchdog, the new rules aim to limit the use of any “file transfer services that rely on Wi-fi, Bluetooth, and other information technologies to form networks instantly and communicate to other devices over a short-range”.
The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) posted the draft regulation on its website on Tuesday as it launched a month-long public consultation on the matter.
The CAC move is the latest in Beijing’s drive to “safeguard national security”. File-sharing service AirDrop – which is available on iPhones and other Apple devices – was used during public demonstrations last winter against the mainland’s strict zero-Covid restrictions, and also during anti-government protests in Hong Kong in 2019.
Similar close-range wireless communication features launched in recent years by other companies include Files by Google and Fast Share on Google’s Android operating service.
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Chinese phone makers Vivo, Xiaomi and Oppo also offer such file transfer services that are compatible among their own devices.
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