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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The proposed rules say technology companies must undergo security assessment if they wish to include any features that could be used “for public expression and social mobilisation”. Photo: Reuters

Sylvie Zhuangin BeijingandVanessa Caiin Shanghai

Published: 8:55pm, 7 Jun 2023Updated: 9:44pm, 7 Jun 2023

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.

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.