China moves for real-name online registration

China intends to pass legislation that would tighten control over the internet after a series of recent cases exposing corruption among officials highlighted the power of social media, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing the state-owned Xinhua News Agency. Senior officials of the National People’s Congress on Monday began reviewing a new law that would require users to register their real names with service providers. The new rule has been introduced to protect personal information and will still allow users to post material publicly without revealing their identity, the news service claimed. The General Administration of Press and Publication, China’s media regulator, is also considering new rules on the dissemination of online material from foreign-owned companies in China. The measures are designed to restrict the mainly domestic firms that reproduce foreign-copyrighted material in China.