China requires users of certain websites to use their real names

It seems that the more time goes by the harder it is to remain anonymous on the Internet, particularly in countries such as China. While the Chinese government has been pressuring people to use their real names online for quite some time, it will now be requiring users of certain platforms and services use their real name. While they won’t be required to display the name publicly, the government will still have a documented link between your account and your identity. 

China announced sweeping new regulations requiring users of an array of Internet services to register with their real names and avoid spreading content that challenges national interests. Internet users will also be punished for adopting misleading handles such as “Putin,” “Obama” or “People’s Daily,” state media said Wednesday of the new rules, which could hurt some of the country’s biggest Internet companies. The requirements apply to users of blogs, microblogs, instant-messaging services, online discussion forums, news comment sections and related services, said the Cyberspace Administration of China, the country’s Internet regulator, in a statement posted on its website. Internet users will still be allowed to select their own usernames and avatars as long as they don’t involve “illegal or unhealthy” content.