More Chinese cities joined an Internet supervision measure Thursday following Beijing's requirement of local microblog operators to register users with real names, a move designed to purge online rumors and enhance social credibility.

Seven major websites in the cities of Guangzhou and Shenzhen in south China's Guangdong Province will begin from Thursday to require new users of their microblogging services to register with real names, the provincial publicity department said in a statement.

Among the seven microblog operators is Shenzhen-based Tencent Holdings, the country's leading Internet company that operates the popular QQ instant-messaging service.

The new rules only apply to new users, including private and institutional users, who are required to submit their real identities at registration, the statement said.

However, users can choose to use their real or screen names on the webpage, according to the statement.

The new rules are made "in accordance with Chinese laws and regulations" in a bid to "foster healthy Internet culture" and "strengthen management and guide social networking services (SNS) and instant-messaging tools," according to the statement.

Guangdong's real-name requirement came shortly after Beijing announced new rules on December 16, requiring users of microblogging services in the city to provide their true identities at registration.

Experts claim the new rules will help purify the Internet environment, as fake and fraudulent information is often seen spreading through microblogs, which are gaining popularity among users.

China currently has about 300 million microbloggers, according to Liu Zhengrong, deputy director with the Internet department of State Council Information Office.

However, there is an obvious gap between the actual number of microblog subscribers and the number of microblog ID names. Some subscribers have several IDs and some IDs are mere "dummies" -- created to increase the number of microblog followers, experts said.

Wu Danhong, an associate professor at China University of Political Science and Law, confirmed that the microblogs are glutted with "dummy" IDs that can be traded in mass at a certain price.

Wu initiated a "rumor-curbing league" in May this year, only to find that almost all rumors were from IDs that are not verified.

This has left room for rumors or fraudulent information to spread on the Internet as users of the "dummy" IDs don't have to take responsibility for their words, Wu said.

Real-name registration is considered part of the country's efforts to strengthen the management of new media, including the Internet.

In a guideline adopted by the central authorities on October 18 at the sixth plenary session of the 17th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), it was proposed that Internet security should be highlighted, online information spreading should be regulated, and a cultivated and rational Internet environment should be fostered to promote the credibility of new media.

"The implementation of real-name registration will create an information-filtering mechanism that remind microbloggers of self-discipline in writing or duplicating postings," said Yin Hong, a journalism professor at Tsinghua University.

"The move will enhance the authenticity and reliability of Internet information to some extent," Yin said.

But Yin noted that the measure needs to be implemented legally.

"To require real-name registration doesn't necessarily mean that each word released by microbloggers must be real and accurate, which even the press isn't able to guarantee," Yin said, noting that the measure will urge microbloggers to take a more responsible attitude.

"Internet users need to enjoy the freedom of speech, which must be assured," Yin said.

Voices from operators, users

Microblogging service operators have expressed their support to the new rules.

An executive in charge of microblogging service business with Tencent told reporters that his company is in full support of the new regulations, which he said will purify the Internet environment and benefit the development of microblogging service.

Tencent has registered more than 310 million microblog IDs, of which only 50 million are active, the executive who only gave his surname Xu said.

Tencent's performance in the stock market on Thursday was not affected by the new rules. Shares of the Hong Kong-listed company dropped 0.06 percent.

Shares of Beijing-based Sina, China's major web portal that owns the country's largest microblogging service Sina Weibo, witnessed a plunge of 10 percent at the U.S. Nasdaq in response to the new rules on December 16.

However, Sina's stock price quickly rebounded and closed the day's trading up 4.26 percent.

"The stock performance indicates that the investors are rational in their decision-making," said Sina's President Cao Guowei, adding that he is confident over its business in spite of the real-name registration.

"It will be an unstoppable trend to post or comment online with registered true identities in future development of the Internet, and this move is beneficial in fostering a healthy and harmonious Internet environment," said Peng Shaobin, Sina's vice president who is also chief of its microblogging business.

Hexun.com is one of the seven commercial websites that opened microblogging services in Beijing. Editor in Chief Wang Wei said Hexun, as a financial website, is more in need of authenticity.

"The real-name registration will regulate postings and comments on the Internet and advance the professionalism of our website," Wang said.

Wang said about 50 percent of Hexun's microblog users were already registered with their real identities even before the new rules were rolled out.

Microbloggers are more divided over real-name registration. Although some are worried that it will stop people from voicing their complaints or grievances, others said they are willing to comply with the new rules.

Common practice

China is not the only country to resort to real-name registration to monitor the Internet.

The government of the Republic of Korea started to implement a real-name authentication system on its major websites in 2007 to prevent Internet violence, fraud or malicious information spreading.

In 2009, the system was expanded to cover all websites with daily visits of over 100,000.

A commentary published in Monday's edition of the People's Daily said microblogs are an important public opinion outlet and play a positive role in promoting democracy.

The new rules won't affect people's expression of opinions, even critical ones, but will prevent a handful of people with ill-purposes from posting malicious speech using different IDs, the commentary said.

(Xinhua News Agency December 22, 2011)