HALT! Who goes there?

China may make bloggers give ID

China is considering forcing internet users to provide their real names and ID card numbers when opening a blog. Advocates of the idea argue that blog anonymity has encouraged widespread libel and slander. Opponents say blogging is flourishing for the very reason that people are free to express themselves.

There have been some very interesting cases of “mob justice” in China resulting from blogging. However I think the real motivation of the authorities (if they did do this) could be easily discerned.

Under the proposed scheme, bloggers will still be free to write under pseudonyms. Their identity would remain protected as long as they did “nothing illegal or harmful to the public”, officials said.

Translation – they’d be free to continue blogging, unless they criticised the authorities and/or caused trouble for them.

Chinese officials are so transparent……….

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