China's Blog Real Name System

Predictably, the communist Chinese government will soon require real name registration for bloggers. Pseudonyms will not be allowed.

From Xinhuanet.com:

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.

Blog industry? What's that?

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.

[ ... ]

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.

So, let me see if I understand this scheme correctly. Bloggers will enjoy an equilibrium between freedom and responsibility by providing their real names and other "real" information to the ChiComs who, by the way, have been directly responsible for the deaths of millions of citizens.

Freedom and responsibility? Yeah, right! Only useful idiots will be fooled by this blatant ploy to censor Internet content by controlling, and eliminating when necessary, the individual bloggers.

Come on! You didn't think the communists would ever really allow free speech, did you?

Companion post at The Jawa Report.