China to decide against forcing 'real name' blogs

Published on Wednesday 23 May 2007 00:29

CHINA is to back down from a plan to require bloggers to use their real names when they register web logs, following an outcry over the proposal from the internet industry.

Instead, the government would promote a "self-discipline code" that would encourage, but not mandate, bloggers to register under their own names, a report said, citing draft guidelines published by the Internet Society of China.

China, the world's second-largest web market with some 140 million internet users, has already imposed some controls.

The "real-name" blog proposal was seen as another attempt to regulate freewheeling web content, but it triggered protests from the internet industry and users.

China routinely blocks websites containing political content that runs counter to the government's views, and restricts participation in some on-line discussion groups.