POLICE have told cafes, hotels and other businesses in central Beijing to install surveillance technology for Wi-Fi users or face fines and possible closure
China has the world's largest and most sophisticated web censorship and monitoring system, which it has tightened further after the Middle East uprisings.
The new software, which costs about 20,000 yuan ($A2800), allows officials to check the identities of users and monitor their activity.
It is unclear how strictly the measures will be enforced, and it appears that only Dongcheng district has told owners of the regulations.
According to The New York Times, a notice from the district office said the measure would tackle offenders seeking to ''conduct blackmail, traffic goods, gamble, propagate damaging information and spread computer viruses''.
''This is undoubtedly an invasion of Wi-Fi users' privacy,'' said Jason Chen, a 22-year-old Beijing resident. ''We have already felt the restriction on university campuses, since they have always been monitored. But this time, the control is stretching to cafes and people's feeling of violation is sharper.''
Leona Zhang, manager of the Contempio bar said: ''Some owners simply think this is for the public security bureaus to make money from us.
''The charge is the same regardless of size, even for small ones with only two or three tables.''
Businesses in other parts of Beijing said they had not heard of the measure.
GUARDIAN