China Likely To Back Down On Bloggers Registration. Zainuddin Maidin Depressed?

This must be horrifying news for Lord Zam. Even the 'evil empire' has seen the light and backed down. Now where does that leave tiny little Zam on the world map of wannabe internet policemen?

Bernama this morning reported the good news (to sane people) while crackpot dictators in the making like Zam must have lost their appetite. That happy bit of news follows.

Following opposition from the industry and netizens, China is likely to discard long-harboured plans requiring the country's 20 million bloggers to register themselves, state media said.

A draft published by the Internet Society of China (ISC) encouraged bloggers to register their names with service providers instead of making it compulsory, China Daily reported.

Government departments have been promoting a real-name system for years, arguing it will force Internet users to watch their words and actions, and refrain from slander, pornography and dissemination of other harmful information, the newspaper said. But the proposal drew protests from Internet users and the industry, it added.

According to the ISC draft, those who voluntarily register themselves may still use pseudonyms and service providers must ensure the confidentiality of bloggers.

The draft was prepared by a group of blog providers and industry experts set up last October to discuss the development and regulations of the industry. China has 144 million Internet users as of March this year.

The China Internet Survey Report 2007 released in January showed the number of bloggers in the country had grown to 20.8 million with 3.15 million active writers.

***** Perhaps after reading of the Chinese decision, Zam would at least for a time lay off bloggers and concentrate on some qualitative improvement in RTM's programmes. (The only one currently praising RTM is Zam himself!) Maybe the time has come for Pak Lah to give a warning to him in the same vein as he did for Samy Vellu, to talk less and work more.
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