China passes controversial cyber security law

BEIJING: China passed a controversial cyber security bill Monday tightening restrictions on online freedom of speech while imposing new rules on online service providers, raising concerns Beijing is further cloistering its heavily controlled internet.

The ruling Communist Party oversees a vast censorship system—dubbed the Great Firewall—that aggressively blocks sites or snuffs out internet content and commentary on topics considered sensitive, such as Beijing's human rights record and criticism of the government.