Beijing Civilians Join the Ranks of Internet Supervisors

Radio Free Asia - The Epoch Times
June 01, 2006

Critics say 'mutual supervision' will suppress opinions and have people informing on each other

[ Editor's note: This new measure is different from the already existing surveillance conducted by the Internet police ]

CHINA - On May 24, the Beijing Association of Online Media recruited 200 special Internet supervisors from across China to conduct comprehensive surveillance on the flow of information.

According to the Web site Qianlong.net, 200 people joined the first batch of special Internet supervisors for Beijing. From now on, all Web sites in Beijing will be under the surveillance of these Internet supervisors. If there is any so-called illegal content and undesirable information, the supervisor will rapidly transmit the relevant information to the Beijing Association of Online Media.

Current affairs analyst Zeng Ning from Guiyang City believes that employing Internet supervisors may be illegitimate. He said, "Such surveillance action, in my opinion, may infringe upon the legal rights of the person who posts the information. For example, the person's right to privacy or freedom of speech may be violated."

The Beijing Association of Online Media Web site indicates that the part-time responsibilities of the 200 Internet supervisors include conducting surveillance on uncivilized behavior, illegal and undesirable information in Beijing Web sites, and promptly informing the Beijing Association of Online Media through telephone, email and non-periodic participation in meetings.

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