China’s Digital Leap in the Domain Registration Game

China has been the focus for technological developments in the cyberspace, within the great firewall of China. Today, the social and political impact on the internet in Chinese censorship has lead to a convergence of different types of information technologies with a much broader perspective.

This can be marked with the China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC) working on creating a personal domain registration system for individual web hosts in China. It has also been projected that the authenticity of the domain name owners would create a platform for various individuals applying for domain name registrations under the Chinese censorship.

Today, the CNNIC caters to the personal applicant, which is in high contrast to the earlier times when China’s domain name “.CN” required the organization to be legally registered with the government of China and would be held liable in case of any discrepancies. It was very difficult for the individuals looking for web hosting in China as they would have to register only through an agency which was a very tedious task. According to the assistant director of CNNIC, the Chinese government has opened doors for the personal applicants, as they can create their own website and also apply filing.

This change in the domain name registration system has been the result of a long strife between analysts and the government, stating that the rigidity in the registration system was driving individuals and resources to foreign countries and even though they did apply for a domain name in China, they were resorting to fraudulent practices, by faking agency papers in order to attain registration of domain names within the great firewall of Chinese censorship.

Thus on December 11, in the year 2009, the CNNIC had supported this decision by stating that the government would work towards creating allocations for personal registration of domain names, as it would protect the legal rights of the Chinese internet users, real name system and administration.

Behind the scenes, one cannot ignore the fact that china’s political leaders are trying to create an illusion of freedom in web hosting while they are trying to make a digital leap forward on the back of technological advancements by easing the Chinese censorship.

The consequent achievements have been remarkable, with the CNNIC issuing notice that it would state that the government would verify the authenticity of the applicants and domain names that have authenticity, and precise information would be protected by the government; but the CNNIC failed to comment on the prospect of individual applicants applying for the.CN domain name.

According to statistical reports, it has been found that among the 16.81 million domains available in cyber China, only 80% end with the.CN domain name pertaining to Chinese censorship.