Posting comments, especially “negative” opinions, on websites in China has been “severely restricted” by new regulations.
Under the new version of the “Provisions on the Management of Internet Post Comments Services,” monitoring of comments on websites will be stricter.
A report on “Bitter Winter” said the 2017 version of the “Provisions” already made it mandatory for those who managed websites to know the identity of users posting under pseudonyms, review the content, eliminate “unlawful” comments, and report those who had posted them to public security.
The report, however, noted that the rules regulating comments about news are now extended to all subjects.
Another important change, the report said, is that comments should not only “respect the law,” as provided in the 2017 version, but “affirm the core Socialist values.”
“Those who post comments should understand that the ultimate purpose of the Internet in China is to spread official propaganda, and behave accordingly,” said the report.
While in the 2017 “Provisions” “unlawful” comments were prohibited, now the prohibition refers to “unlawful and negative” posts.
“Negative” posts are those not necessarily “unlawful” but nonetheless not aligned with the Chinese Communist Party and its policies.
Posting under pseudonyms remains permissible, but what is new in the 2022 version is that those managing the web sites should also have a look at the social credit of those who post.
