A RECENT VIDEO clip showing a policeman in Changsha, Hunan province, beating a dog to death went viral online. The local police responded that they received reports about the dog attacking people so they had to take action. People's Daily comments:

All the evidence shows the local police did the right thing to protect people's lives and safety. The local regulations on pets state that when a chained dog is suspected of being dangerous, the owner is obliged to kill it and the police should help.

Yet some self-proclaimed "animal rights protectors" alleged the policeman "tortured the dog for hours", labeling him as "cruel" and "violent". Someone even posted the personal information of the policeman online, asking people to make complaints against him.

The person who revealed the policeman's personal information has now been detained. However, the incident raises the question: How to express our opinions in the digital age?

People have the right to love animals and they can express that; however, not at the expense of the rights of others. In this case, the police said they received reports that the dog had attacked a passer-by already, and it posed a risk to public safety. Under such circumstances, the police should act swiftly to protect the people.

Besides, personal opinions should be expressed within legal boundaries. When the person put the personal information of the policeman online and called for complaints to be made against him, that deed violated the rights of the policeman.

We live in a society that's increasingly more tolerant and pluralistic. However, that tolerance and pluralism should not be exaggerated so as to put personal values beyond the law. The law should be the ultimate bottom line for our behavior and everybody must act according to it.