China=Real Name for Blog

Would you use your real name for your blog? While mandating other Internet laws, China is pressing for this requirement in its blog industry. Blogging is very popular in China, along with the use of discussion forums and bulletin boards. The Xinhua news agency reported that "bloggers anonymously disseminate untrue information on the Internet" which has brought about a negative influence on society. If this rule comes into effect, users will have to register their blog under their real name, but they will also be able to write under a pseudonym.

Here are a few other interesting facts about China and its Internet laws:

1. China's search engines monitor content by keyword and remove offending Web sites. "When people request banned content through Chinese search engines like Baidu and Yisou, the filtering system disconnects them."

2. China uses most of the Internet services that extend from Western corporations. Interestingly, Yahoo! and Google agreed to alter their search engines to comply with China's filtering system.

3. The Chinese government blocks any Web sites that it feels is politically or socially harmful. If China residents want to find information related to Taiwanese and Tibetan independence or the Dalai Lama, they will find nothing.

Last but not least...

4. "Every Chinese person who signs up for Internet service must register with his or her local police department within 30 days." This is mad serious.