On Tuesday, China launched a national online identity authentication public service platform, marking the transition of the “online ID card” from pilot phase to large-scale implementation. Rooted in legal ID credentials, the “online ID card” allows users to obtain a unique digital ID number and certificate via the National Online Identity Authentication app. In scenarios such as online shopping and government services, users can verify their identity without directly entering their national ID number, using the online ID instead. This ensures that personal data is “usable but invisible,” greatly reducing the risk of information leaks, according to the authorities. At time of writing, the app has been downloaded over 16 million times. [IThome, in Chinese]
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