China Petrochemical Corp (Sinopec) has come under fire for trying to manipulate online opinion in favour of fuel price increases amid rising world oil prices.
A Sinopec notice made public on a Shenzhen professor's microblog service last week called for commentators to enter a blog posting contest between February 1 and 11 to argue for fuel price rises. They were told to write no more than 800 words on bulletin boards and blogs - with the best 20 writers to receive rewards.
Reports about the directive have largely been deleted from major news portals, but internet users and media commentators have reacted indignantly to Sinopec's manipulation of public opinion through online commentators known as '50-cent parties' - people hired by the government in order to write favourable comments online to shape public opinion. In some instances, they are reportedly paid 50 fen per posting.
Manipulation of public opinion by internet commentators has become a popular tactic for public relations companies seeking to win over consumers or fight off competitors through online smear campaigns.
Citing Zhang Jun, the police officer in charge of online security in Beijing, Xinhua reported this month that more than half of the online comments were believed to be written by such unscrupulous commentators.
Sinopec and PetroChina, another state oil giant, have been criticised for reaping billions in profits through their fuel duopoly.