Internet administrators have released a draft voluntary code of conduct for public feedback in an attempt to tighten their grip on the mainland's 20 million bloggers. The draft code of conduct for bloggers and service providers was posted yesterday on the website of the semi-official Internet Society of China for a week of feedback. It follows months of preparation involving contributions from popular portals including MSN, Sina.com, Sohu.com and People.com.cn. The society said the code 'aimed to enhance regulation of the responsibilities and obligations of bloggers and blog service providers through industry self-regulation and an agreed format'. It also said the document was designed to ensure 'continuous and healthy development of China's internet' as 'some people are using blogs to spread unhealthy information, seriously disturb social order and public interests, and pollute the internet environment'. The society's stated aim is to 'safeguard Chinese netizens' freedom of speech within legal regulations', but it stressed a need to 'suppress the spread of vulgar information and eliminate cultural trash'. Under the code, bloggers would have to sign an agreement saying they will not spread unhealthy, illegal, pornographic, defamatory or false information that might infringe on others' legal rights. They would also have to promptly delete illegal or unhealthy responses to postings. Service providers would have to insist that users live up to obligations, and could refuse to provide services to anybody who refused to sign. The code also refers to the issue of real-name blogger registration, which has generated considerable opposition from bloggers. The code says service providers should 'encourage' the practice. The society has for two years been working with Ministry of Information Industry to implement real-name registration but has run into widespread concerns over reduced freedom of speech on the internet. Two Beijing-based internet firms apologised publicly on their websites early this month for offering links or content that an industry association said was a danger to the nation's youth and morals. The marketing manager of Zol.com.cn said pornographic content on the website came mainly from posts by anonymous users and was hard to regulate.
