by BI Yantao, China
Recently, China’s websites begin to impose the long debated true-name registration policy, which I believe will frustrate an increasing number of netizens in China.
On the early morning of November 7, I tried to register with Tianya Community website, one of the most popular websites in China, finding again I am required to activate my account to be qualified to post. Any account that remains inactivated more than one week will be cancelled. To activate my account, I have to obtain a Tianya code through my mobile phone, or via a friend whose Tianya account has already been activated, or by my own Tianya email. But to apply for a Tianya email account, I have to provide my true name and birth date. Because in China all mobile phone users have already been demanded to register with true names, Tianya website has in fact adopted the controversial true-name registration system. But it is unknown what on earth has caused the sophistication of registration.
On the registration page Tianya website explains these new measures are designed to stop illegal, nasty and harassing information. On these points I understand and support Tianya, but there is another side to the story. I am more concerned to what extent the new requirements will restrain critical voices, and how many websites will follow suit. So far I am not clear how these new techniques help build China into a harmonious society.
