Chinese city bans anonymous web postings

[R.A. Hettinga]

<http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/Business/2007/07/07/chinese_city_bans_anonymous_web_postings/4057/>



United Press International
NEWSTRACK - BUSINESS


Published: July 7, 2007 at 9:13 AM


Chinese city bans anonymous web postings

XIAMEN, China, July 7 (UPI) -- A Chinese city plans to ban anonymous online
postings after Internet users successfully campaigned to stop completion of
a chemical factory.

The ban mandates Internet users must provide proof of their real identify
when posting messages on more than 100,000 Web sites registered in Xiamen,
the Times of London reported Saturday.

City officials acted after thousands of residents rallied each other
through cell phone text messages and Internet blogs to march on the site of
a $14 million chemical plant. Construction since has been stopped pending
an investigation into environmental concerns, the Times reported.

Xiamen will be the first city in China to officially ban anonymous Internet
postings, said Tian Feng, vice-director of the Xiamen Bureau of Industry
and Commerce.

Censorship is common in China, where tens of thousands of government
workers monitor the actions of China's 140 million Internet users, the
Times said.

Dozens of Web journalists and Internet commentators are serving prison
terms throughout China for alleged subversion.


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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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