China has further stepped up its stance on online censorship and the rules surrounding anonymous online posting. It has been announced by the country's top internet regulator that nothing can now be posted anonymously on an internet platform from the end of September. Already this year, the country has implemented bans on VPNs and issued strong punishments to its largest internet companies over failures to manage user-published content. The announcement banning anonymous posting said that it was done in order to “promote the healthy and orderly development of online community”, as well as protecting “national security and public interests”. Following the change, all users must provide their real name with verification before posting online. Those who do not do so will be banned from posting by China's internet companies.
