China is planning to regulate file-sharing such as Apple’s AirDrop on mobile devices

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 the South China Morning Post.

According to a draft released by China’s top Internet watchdog, Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), 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 SCMP says the CAC move is the latest in Beijing’s drive to “safeguard national security.” AirDrop 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.