Rules keep tight rein on Chinese bloggers

New rules by a Chinese government-backed Internet group maintain strict controls over the country’s bloggers, requiring them to register with their real names and identification cards.

The guidelines from the Internet Society of China, a group made up of the country’s major Internet companies, contradict state media reports this week claiming that China was considering loosening registration requirements for bloggers to allow anonymous online journaling.

The society’s new draft code of conduct seen on its website Wednesday says Web log service providers must still get their users’ real names and contact information. It adds that providers should encourage users to use real names when blogging too.

Critics say the requirement violates bloggers’ right to freedom of expression and puts them at risk of punishment or imprisonment if they post controversial opinions about politics, religion or other issues.

The society’s proposed code of conduct for blog service providers comes in addition to existing government regulations that govern China’s Internet.

The country’s official Internet watchdog banned anonymous website and blog registration in 2005.

Online bulletin boards and blogs are the only forum for most Chinese to express opinions before a large audience in a society where all media are state-controlled.

China has the world’s second-biggest population of Internet users after the United States, with 137 million people online. It also has about 20 million blogs, according to government figures.

But Chinese leaders try to block online material deemed pornographic or a threat to communist rule.

Website owners have been required to register their identities since 2005, leaving bloggers no way to post material online anonymously within China. They can use overseas services, but access to those from within China is frequently blocked by the government.