The local blogosphere was abuzz this week with the news that Sina Weibo, China's main micro-blogging site had posted a 'user contract' (a list of rules, really) that their microblog users must adhere to.
I read through them (you can read them here in English), and just chuckled because it's essentially a re-hash (but with some updated langauge to include social media) of a document that I remember signing when I registered for my very first internet/email account in Changchun, back in 1996.
The internet was new back then (having just been invented by Al Gore), and in order to access this new-fangled thing I had to ride my bike downtown to the Post and Telecommunications Office to sign up. This meant filling out lots of papers and leaving them with a copy of my passport.
I also had to read and sign the 'terms of use' document, which is essentially what this new Weibo contract is ( but maybe a bit more indirect), as I remember Item #1 on the list was simply, "You may not use the internet to harm China."
Nice to have that settled.
Regarding all of this hullabaloo, I tend to agree with this post at a blog called Tea Leaf Nation: 5 Reasons that Sina's New User Contract will Have No Impact.
Well said indeed.
Like taking the Hippocratic oath of a new doctor “Do No Harm” to China! Love it!
I had forgotten about all of the paperwork back then and having to go down to the office. What else have I forgotten?! 🙂