14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft, Yahoo and several other companies agreed to require the Chinese bloggers to reveal their real names in order to create a better blogging system in the country. Although it might sound a little bit like censorship, the local authorities aim to force all the Chinese bloggers to reveal their identity in order to be easier to be located and who knows, maybe punished. If you didn't know, the Chinese Alibaba.com is owned by Yahoo while Microsoft powers Windows Live Spaces, a technology accessed by millions of users. Although the two companies have given their approval, Microsoft and Yahoo might change their decision very soon.
"The document makes some recommendations that Microsoft does not support. We will not implement real-name registration for blogging in our Windows Live Spaces service." Adam Sohn, director of the Microsoft online services group, said according to the Los Angeles Times. The Yahoo representatives refused to comment on this matter.
What's most interesting is that the Reporters Without Borders, an organization that fights for the freedom of the press, already started to criticize the companies which agreed to join the alliance. According to this group, the following firms already announced their support: Msn.cn, Renmin Wang, Xinlang, Sohu, Wangyi, Tom, Qianlong Wang, Hexun Wang, Boke Tianxia, Tianji Wang, Yahoo.cn, Huasheng Zaixian, Bolianshe and Tengxun.
"The Chinese government has yet again forced Internet sector companies to cooperate on sensitive issues - in this case, blogger registration and blog content. As they already did with website hosting services, the authorities have given themselves the means to identify those posting 'subversive' content by imposing a self-discipline pact," Reporters Without Borders said according to the group's official page. "This decision will have grave consequences for the Chinese blogosphere and marks the end of anonymous blogging."
If you want to view the entire statement published by the Reporters Without Border, you can check this link.