NANCHANG -- With widespread online rumor saying China will implement a blog
real name system, the Internet Society of China (ISC) has clarified that so far
the Ministry of Information Industry has not officially made any related
policies.
However, a real name system will be an unavoidable choice if China wants to
standardize and develop its blog industry, Huang Chengqing, ISC secretary
general, told Xinhua on Sunday.
An official with the ISC confirmed on Thursday that the society is working on
a real name system for Chinese bloggers, which attested to netizens' longtime
guess about it and triggered a hot controversy.
Huang said some reports on the Internet about the implementation of the real
name system are not "very accurate."
The ISC, affiliated to the Ministry of Information Industry, was entrusted by
the ministry to form a blog research panel to provide solutions for the
development of China's blog industry.
"We suggest, in a recent report submitted to the ministry, that a real name
system be implemented in China's blog industry," Huang said.
Under such a system, a netizen has to register with his real name to open a
blog, but can still write under a pseudonym, according to Huang.
Yet the panel also pointed out in their report that a lot of preparatory work
must be done before the real name system officially runs.
"For example, a complete personal data protection system should be
established in advance," Huang said, adding that the system will not be put into
operation before listening to opinions and advice from the huge number of
netizens.
Different opinions are seen on the Internet toward whether or not the system
should be implemented.
A netizen named Xiaosha said the real name system may water down speech
liberty and flexibility of bloggers and even threaten the safety of their
privacies.
However, another netizen called Tinghai believed that the tricks, porns and
rights infringement in China's blogs will never be curbed or reduced unless a
real name system is shaped and starts running.
Some bloggers anonymously disseminate irresponsible and untrue information
via the Internet, bringing about very bad influences not only to individuals but
to society as a whole.
In August, 2006, associate professor Chen Tangfa from Nanjing University won
his lawsuit against a blog company.
Chen accused the company of having failed to properly deal with some
insulting comments on him, which were spread by an anonymous blogger on the
Internet.
Huang said the foundation of the blog real name system is an equilibrium
between freedom and responsibility. "There exists no freedom without any
abstention, and to limit also benefits the further development of this
industry."
He said the system they have recommended is a background real name system,
which requires bloggers provide their real names and other real information when
applying for a blog but allows them to use pseudonyms in their blog articles.
According to ISC's survey, about half of Chinese netizens support the real
name system. Another survey showed that half of the bloggers opened their blogs
to "share with others their own thoughts and resources," and some others to
store materials and data, communicate, and keep up with the latest information.
China has about 17.5 million bloggers according to a recent ISC
report.
