China stiffens censorship of Internet

January 1, 2013

China tightened its control of the internet, when the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, the rubber stamp parliament, passed the "Decision to Strengthen the Protection of Online Information". The regulation threatens internet companies with fines, website closures and cancellation of licenses if they fail to comply with requirements to censor content published by their users.

The law makes it a requirement for internet companies and telecom operators to confirm the identity of their users to make it easier for the authorities to trace the source of "illegal" online information or behavior.

The law follows streaks of allegations of corruption and sex scandals against party and government officials in recent weeks on the country’s Twitter-like microblogs.

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