Tech Shout!

The Internet Society of China has advised that the government should ask chinese bloggers to use their original names during the registration process of their blogs. This step has been taken with an intention of keeping dissention to its lowest. Though no final decision has been announced till now, officials did mention that such a system will be put forward.

China’s communist leadership has cracked down hard on Internet free speech in the country, claiming that some outside information would threaten the Chinese government. China regularly blocks certain websites, and keeps an eye on net communications.

The Ministry of Information Industry, of which the group is a part of, had recently issued rulings that expanded its oversight to blogs and Internet-based news sites. The “real name” system could be seen as an extension of these policies.

Huang Chengqing, secretary general of the Internet Society of China, told the official Chinese news agency Xinhua that a real-name system for bloggers was necessary for China to standardize and develop its web blog industry. The society, an affiliate of China’s Ministry of Information Industry, is working on such a system for the Chinese government.

“We suggest, in a recent report submitted to the ministry, that a real-name system should be implemented in China’s blog industry,” Huang told Xinhua. The ISC also recommends that chinese bloggers be allowed to continue to write under pseudonyms.

Huang agreed that quite a bit of work still needs to be done before a real-name system can be launched.

“For example, a complete personal data protection system should be established in advance,” Huang said. In addition, the ISC advises the government to seek the opinions and advice from bloggers.

Though chinese bloggers would still be able to use a handle to post under, the new policy would require that a real name be provided at registration.