China - Microbloggers must register online with real names or be banned

[sharon sanders]

Real names the rule in Beijing
By Xu Chi | 2012-2-8

BEIJING microbloggers will be banned from posting or reposting messages if they haven't registered with their real names by March 16, officials in the capital said yesterday.

more..

http://www.shanghaidaily.com/article/?id=493874&type=National

 

[Emily]

Re: China - Microbloggers must register online with real names or be banned

A newspaper in New York is requiring readers who want to comment on online stories to register with a verifiable home address, (no P.O. boxes allowed), and phone number. The reason given is to ensure civil discourse. They said they are pioneering this verification process and a lot of other media sources are watching the experiment.

Well, I looked at the comments after one of the articles about the Le Roy illness cluster and there were what I considered some very personal attacks on the girls and families who had reached out to the media and independent environmental activists. It was painful to read so apparently using real identities does not guarantee civil behavior. People with power and money will speak freely, but others will not for good reasons.

I hope China rethinks banning anonymous blogging.