Chinese Bloggers & Gamers Rejoice, But What Is Really Going On?

I HAVE A FASCINATION with China, and in particular how as a nation they are trying to cope with the massive slide towards western products, cultures and potentially democracy in the long run. There are many challenges facing them, but high up on that list is the Internet and what it represents to the Chinese authorities.

To what do I refer? Well, freedom of course. The Internet poses the greatest threat to the authorities because of the potential it holds for individual freedom, in a country still dominated by communist governance and policies… but this won’t last forever either.

I’ve written previously about some of the whacky Chinese attempts to control the Internet (The Great Firewall Of China) and even some strange treatments for online gaming addiction (Electro-Shock Therapy, Virtual Penalties etc.) but a key principal in this strategy to “purify” and control the Internet has been the need to adopt a real world verification system for all online activities. In simple terms - the Chinese authorities wanted to know exactly who was online. They intended to achieve this by forcing all users who wished to use the Internet to have to register their real names and details in order to get access.

Today however, bloggers and gamers in China have cause to celebrate because changes are afoot which may see the Chinese authorities abandoning their plans… or are they? What is really going on here?

The desire to impose real-world verification is not new, it’s been around for quite a few years. This of course was always going to be difficult to implement, but not impossible for a country with the resources and will of China in fairness. However this latest development in this area seems to suggest a complete u-turn from the Chinese government on this topic. Bloggers and gamers all over china will be breathing a sigh of relief when they hear that according to the Xinhua news agency, the government now intends to drop compulsory identification following “outcries” from industry and netizens.

Before anyone gets completely carried away though, let’s not forget the 30,000 to 40,000 internet cops that china has allegedly employed to police their Great Firewall of China. This is still a nation seriously intent on trying to control its citizens use of the Internet and although they have just stepped back from this compulsory real-world identification, they will probably come up with another variation on the theme in the near future.

I don’t think the authorities will be put off that easily, so it does make me wonder exactly why they did a u-turn on this. China is not the type of nation to back down from something unless there is a very good reason, and I think it might be a little premature for the gamers and bloggers to be celebrating just yet. Thing is, I can’t quite figure out what is actually behind this latest move, what is really going on.

Any thoughts on what the real story is?