Does this apply to Chinese commenters on overseas blogs and forums? If so, they've just solved a huge chunk of the comment spam problem.
If the Chinese government wants to help unmask people?
China tightens Web controls; commenters must register real names
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Re: China tightens Web controls; commenters must register real names
#12Before you start thinking "oh, those crazy Chinese...", remember that many people in the USA (and other western countries) fervently believe that we should do the same thing.
I think one can think both that the Chinese government is exceptionally repressive and be scared how many people in the West might be willing to follow their lead. Thankfully, I don't think a real names policy has much chance in the US for the time being.
Most Norwegian newspapers enforce a full-name policy in their comments sections. Which is frankly ridiculous; anyone who seriously wants to troll just comes up with a fake name. But it's very worrying that this is taken seriously by people in our own society.
Re: China tightens Web controls; commenters must register real names
#13I don't think it will affect much, most of the sites are using qq/weibo/renren openids, and they have long been "real named" behind. And actually I don't care how the gov track my activities, just care about the leaks of personal information, which were kept safe most of the times for big names.
Re: China tightens Web controls; commenters must register real names
#14Earlier quoted context omitted.
One is a decision by a private company (which you can get around by using a different service) and one is a mandate from the government.
Given both Googles and Facebooks origin funding, I think a debate could be had about this point.
Explain what you mean. Where did their funding come from?
There is no US government law or rule to enforce real names (see Twitter, etc).
Re: China tightens Web controls; commenters must register real names
#15It may be hard to persecute you if we cannot easily identify you.
Re: China tightens Web controls; commenters must register real names
#16Before you start thinking "oh, those crazy Chinese...", remember that many people in the USA (and other western countries) fervently believe that we should do the same thing.
Oh, those crazy Americans...
You made it sound as if we shouldn't call the Chinese crazy over this. When in fact we should call both crazy.
Re: China tightens Web controls; commenters must register real names
#17Before you start thinking "oh, those crazy Chinese...", remember that many people in the USA (and other western countries) fervently believe that we should do the same thing.
Yes, and those people in the USA that believe we should do the same are called net neutrality supporters.
Re: China tightens Web controls; commenters must register real names
#18Before you start thinking "oh, those crazy Chinese...", remember that many people in the USA (and other western countries) fervently believe that we should do the same thing.
The difference is in who is requiring this. The site operator/company (such as blog,newspaper,social network) or the central govt. It makes a big difference.
Re: China tightens Web controls; commenters must register real names
#19Before you start thinking "oh, those crazy Chinese...", remember that many people in the USA (and other western countries) fervently believe that we should do the same thing.
The difference is in who is requiring this. The site operator/company (such as blog,newspaper,social network) or the central govt. It makes a big difference.
As US custom (e.g. the Federalist Papers) and jurisprudence has anonymity so strongly established, it's hard for me to see such a thing here without a simultaneous hot civil war. It would tread on a very important part of our Constitutionally enshrined core political free speech.
Re: China tightens Web controls; commenters must register real names
#20It is funny how american media is eager to depict China as a North-Korea, and how americans opinions end being formed by their partial media in the same way it happens under dictatorships. Have spent a decade in China, I have yet to see a cop carrying a gun. Cops in China are way more friendly than in US, and for me, way more trustable. people think they keep the chinese people under fear and draconian control, but if you spend some time in China and listen to the people, you see thats not the whole truth. American media call Mugabe a dictator and call Cameroon's President a "chief of state", but both countries hold the same kind of elections. Anyone saw the news about the recent death of the Arabian king? I didn't read any mention about him being a dictator, indeed he is, but he is an ally.