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China Mandates Real-name Registration for Online Literature

China’s online literature has grown rapidly in recent years. According to the “2019 Online Literature Development Report” that the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) released in February, the number of online literature users has reached 455 million. Fifty percent of users are online readers; the number of online authors has reached 17.55 million.

The official Xinhua News Agency reported on June 15 that China’s National Press and Publication Administration (NPPA) issued a “Notice on Further Strengthening the Administration of Online Literature Publishing.” The Notice demands “rectifying the order of the online literature industry, strengthening the management of online literature publishing, and leading the online publishing units with a correct publication orientation.”

The Notice requires that online literature publishing units establish and improve content review and the approval mechanism. It strictly regulates the posting and publishing behavior and enforces the “real name registration for online literature creators.” Online publication platforms are told to be explicit in exhibiting posting rules and service agreements.

Source: Central News Agency, June 16, 2020
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/202006160103.aspx