Shanghai Forces Social Media Users To Register Real Identity

Shanghai has become the latest major Chinese city to enforce real-name registration laws for users of social media websites, following the example of the capital Beijing set earlier this month.

The new rules are “in line with Chinese laws and regulations to foster a healthy internet culture so as to better manage social networking websites and instant-messaging tools,” said a statement by Shanghai’s municipal authorities, as quoted by Xinhua, on Sunday.

Shanghai has become the latest major Chinese city to enforce real-name registration laws for users of social media websites, following the example of the capital Beijing set earlier this month.

The new rules are “in line with Chinese laws and regulations to foster a healthy internet culture so as to better manage social networking websites and instant-messaging tools,” said a statement by Shanghai’s municipal authorities, as quoted by Xinhua, on Sunday.

All Shanghai netizens, including private and corporate users, must now submit their real names and identification whenever they sign up to a social media site. Existing social media users are also expected to resubmit their particulars to the relevant authorities in order for verification. Users though, “are still free”, to pick on-screen aliases and nicknames, said the Shanghai municipal authorities.

The new regulation is seen as another attempt by the Chinese government to exert more control over the Internet, in the wake of growing social unrest and dissent.

Last week, residents in the wealthy manufacturing heartland of Guangdong posted photos and reports of protests – held against land seizures and a power plant in the province – online, defying official efforts to block any news emanating from the incidents.

Authorities are also said to be concerned over the power of the Internet to influence public opinion, with many of China’s 457 million Internet users posting and debating socio-political issues on Weibo, China’s version of Twitter.

The state-owned People’s Daily claims though that Shanghai’s move was necessary in order to “purge online rumours and enhance credibility.”

[quote]“The move would help micro-blogging providers enhance trustworthiness, establish name brands and improve the quality of their services,” added the paper.[/quote]

In addition to its identification law, the new regulation will also ban users from posting and duplicating illegal content, as well as information that leaks state secrets, damages national security and interests, and instigates ethnic resentment, discrimination or illegal rallies.

Apart from Shanghai and Beijing, the other major Chinese cities to have imposed the new regulation include the cities of Guangzhou and Shenzhen – both from the Guangdong Province.