China intensifies crackdown on social media with curbs on instant messaging | World news | theguardian.com
China has issued tough new rules for mobile instant messaging services such as WeChat, expanding an internet crackdown that has already muzzled microblogs and websites in what it called a bid to promote "true freedom of speech".
The new requirements, published by the state news agency Xinhua, are to include real name registration and agreement by users to obey seven "bottom lines", including upholding the socialist system, social morality and authenticity of information. They also ban public accounts from republishing current affairs news unless they have specific licences to issue news.
Service providers are required to suspend updates on accounts "that violate the user agreement" until they are fully closed and keep relevant records of violations and report them to the authorities.