China requires Internet users to register names

[Heath]

http://news.yahoo.com/china-requires...--finance.html

BEIJING (AP) ? China's government tightened Internet controls Friday with approval of a law that requires users to register their names after a flood of online complaints about official abuses rattled Communist Party leaders.

Authorities say the law will strengthen protections for personal information. But it also is likely to curtail the Internet's status as a forum to complain about the government or publicize corruption.

"Their intention is very clear: It is to take back that bit of space for public opinion, that freedom of speech hundreds of millions of Chinese Internet users have strived for," said Murong Xuecun, a prominent Chinese writer.

The rules approved by China's national legislature highlight the chronic tension between the ruling Communist Party's desire to reap technology's benefits and its insistence on controlling information.

Beijing encourages Web use for business and education but tries to block material deemed subversive or obscene. It has steadily stepped up censorship, especially after social media played a role in protests that brought down governments in Egypt and Tunisia.

The latest measure requires users to provide their real names and other identifying information when they register with access providers or post information publicly.

"This is needed for the healthy development of the Internet," said Li Fei, deputy director of the legislature's Legal Work Committee, at a news conference.

Li rejected complaints that the public will be deprived of a forum that has been used to expose misconduct.

"The country's constitution protects citizens' rights in supervising and criticizing the state and government officials' behavior," Li said.
The measure comes amid reports that Beijing might be disrupting use of software that allows Web surfers to see sites abroad that are blocked by its extensive filters.

At the same time, regulators have proposed rules that would bar foreign companies from distributing books, news, music and other material online in China.

[Dirty F]

Funny how people here give me shit every time i call China a communist shithole.

[AtlantisCash]

This is one of the great example why United states and European union should be remain as sharing parties to the rule maker position at international arena, think about that for a moment that these communist cocksuckers are the ones who play to be super power?

scary...

[Heath]

Imagine what will happen if they get a say on what should be censored on the internet like they were trying to do by siding with Muslim nations at the UN.

[Jman]

I wonder who is going to use Juicy D Links ;)

[xinyonghu]

I am a Communist
and China sucks

[BigChad]

It's coming to America soon enough, Yahoo is already forcing you to reply to most political articles using Facebook accounts only.

[lyno]

Not that i would think that China is the land of the free and stuff but:

The latest measure requires users to provide their real names and other identifying information when they register with access providers

Makes me wonder. You can sign up anonymously with an access provider in the USA? Really?

[L-Pink]

Originally Posted by lyno

Makes me wonder. You can sign up anonymously with an access provider in the USA? Really?

That's what I was thinking. Try to sign up for cable without giving a name.

[ottopottomouse]

Originally Posted by lyno

Not that i would think that China is the land of the free and stuff but:



Makes me wonder. You can sign up anonymously with an access provider in the USA? Really?

(UK but same difference)
Mobile phones having fast internet now makes a viable option. PAYG SIM cards are anonymous and can have credit added for cash.

[shake]

Originally Posted by L-Pink

That's what I was thinking. Try to sign up for cable without giving a name.

It's a little different though, the private companies want your details in case you don't pay your bill your government doesn't require it. Plus you can walk into any Starbucks and use the internet for free.

[AllAboutCams]

In china a lot of websites make you enter your id number so would be very hard to abuse the system

[lyno]

Originally Posted by ottopottomouse

(UK but same difference)
Mobile phones having fast internet now makes a viable option. PAYG SIM cards are anonymous and can have credit added for cash.

Found a nice statement from a German, who lives in China for some time now (Biz), on a forum. He says that laws are one thing and reality is the the other, especially in China. The law requires that prepaid cards must be registered now. Even at official shop nobody really cares and the street dealers could give less then shit.



@shake

Makes no difference, at least in European countries. Thanks to retention of data laws everything you do is logged and authorities use those data on a regular base (at least in Germany). I don't know about the situation in the USA but I don't think that the situation is better there. Hasn't some of the big Telcos been granted immunity from prosecution for the illegal tapping they did for the FBI and others?

Like said, it's not like I am a fan the Chinese Gov, but to me it seems like they are just closing up to western standards.

[bronco67]

Imagine how rough it'll be to keep track of a billion people named Chan, Chin, and Chong.

[brassmonkey]

Originally Posted by bronco67

Imagine how rough it'll be to keep track of a billion people named Chan, Chin, and Chong.

if you run your mouth they will find and kill you.

[Barry-xlovecam]