China to expand microblogging registration programme

China's government plans to expand their tests of having users of microblogging services in major cities register their real identities to all users of the sites - in a country where Twitter is blocked and services like Tencent and Sina dominate the sector.

In a move that will apparently control the spread of "harmful information", State Council Information Office minister Wang Chen said:

"Currently, this type of registration is being tested in Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen. We will extend it to other areas once the pilot programmes prove successful. We will focus on newly registering users and then extend it to existing microbloggers. Microblogging is a new medium that can spread information rapidly and have a big influence. It covers a wide population and can mobilise people."

Naturally a scheme such as this in a country with a history of cracking down on dissidents raises serious concern about censorship regimes and harsh action being taken against those not toeing the official line on political matters - and the moves come after previous attempts to force mobile phone users and online gamers to register their identities failed.