Morning Clicks | Beijing orders its 2.06 million 'propaganda workers' to get microblogging

Beijing propaganda authorities yesterday unveiled an elaborate plan to control discussions on microblog sites, a plan which places emphasis on monitoring and interacting with local users.

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Published: 10:09am, 18 Jan 2013Updated: 10:25am, 18 Jan 2013

According to the Beijing News, a meeting of propaganda department heads was held yesterday to unveil the city's latest plans to control online content, plans which place microblogs firmly at the centre of propaganda efforts.

Those in attendance, the newspaper writes, were told by Beijing propaganda chief and deputy mayor Lu Wei to mobilise the city's combined force of over 2 million propaganda workers in opening accounts on microblog sites to spread "positive energy", a mission described in the report as the guidance of online discussions of sensitive topics in a "positive" direction.

At the same time, officials were told to closely monitor sentiment on microblog sites involving any sensitive issues, starting with the city's upcoming mobile phone real-name registration policy.

Other hot topics listed as in need of opinion guidance include social transition and economic fluctuation, food prices, unemployment, housing prices, and income distribution.

Keeping in line with current internet regulation practices, those at the meeting were told to maintain efforts to "purify" the online environment through crackdowns on harmful and vulgar information.

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