Two weeks ago, Yang Hui was summoned from class by his school's vice-principal, according to an account the student provided to the Beijing News. The 16-year-old quickly learnt that he was in serious trouble. Three plainclothes and a uniformed police officer were waiting in the principal's office. They asked for his phone, interrogated him, conveyed him to the police station for further questioning and then locked him up in a detention centre.
His apparent crime? He was retweeted.
This is a novel transgression. Early this month, officials announced new regulations meant to rein in the allegedly rampant rumour-mongering that the government claims disrupts the harmonious development of China's internet.
Few in China believe the new rules are much more than the latest and most heavy-handed attempt to check online dissent and reassert government control over how China thinks, talks and tweets about its leaders. The terms stipulate that anyone whose message is retweeted more than 500 times on Chinese microblogs or is seen by more than 5000 online users can be subject to jail for up to three years if the original post turns out to be false. As tools of repression go, this is a powerful one, and Yang's experience - and the public outcry that followed it - highlight its strengths and limitations.
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29/09/2013
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