China moves towards "real name system" for blogs

[R.A. Hettinga]

<http://today.reuters.co.uk/misc/PrinterFriendlyPopup.aspx?type=internetNews&storyID=2006-10-23T055633Z_01_PEK127187_RTRIDST_0_OUKIN-UK-CHINA-BLOGS.XML>


 
China moves towards "real name system" for blogs

Mon Oct 23, 2006 6:56 AM BST


BEIJING (Reuters) - The Internet Society of China has recommended to the
government that bloggers be required to use their real names when they
register blogs, state media said on Monday, in the latest attempt to
regulate free-wheeling Web content.

The society, which is affiliated with the Ministry of Information Industry,
said no decision had been made but that a 'real name system' was inevitable.

"A real name system will be an unavoidable choice if China wants to
standardise and develop its blog industry," the official Xinhua news agency
quoted the Internet Society's secretary general, Huang Chengqing, as saying.

"We suggest, in a recent report submitted to the ministry, that a real name
system be implemented in China's blog industry," Huang said.

China has already imposed some controls on Internet chatter about
politically sensitive subjects, which often goes far beyond what is
permissible in the country's traditional state-run media.

Last year, the Ministry of Information Industry issued regulations on
Internet news content that analysts said was aimed at extending rules
governing licensed news outlets to blogs and Internet-only news sites.

Participation in university on-line discussion groups has also been
restricted to students.

Bloggers anonymously disseminating untrue information on the Internet
brought about a negative influence on society, the Xinhua report said.

Under the proposed rule, users would be required to register under their
real name to open a blog but would still be allowed to write under a
pseudonym.

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R. A. Hettinga <mailto: rah at ibuc.com>
The Internet Bearer Underwriting Corporation <http://www.ibuc.com/>
44 Farquhar Street, Boston, MA 02131 USA
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