In an unprecedented move toward restricting online anonymity, the CEO of China’s social media behemoth, Weibo, Wang Gaofei is testing a controversial new policy on his personal account. Weibo, often compared to Twitter/X, may soon require online commentators discussing politics and finance to publicly display their real names. Amid rising worries over China’s growing internet censorship and increased government scrutiny, this motion raises pressing concerns about personal privacy and the overreach of digital surveillance.
The news broke when Gaofei, amassing a hefty following of 957,000 users on Weibo, had his true identity revealed on his account, a test run of the proposed policy. Upon noticing the change, a user queried Gaofei, who duly confirmed the experiment.
This brewing change has triggered considerable social media discourse, with rumors spreading that users engaging in dialogue about politics, entertainment, and finance boasting a following of 1 million or above may soon be compelled to reveal their identities.
However, it remains unclear whose instructions these users are receiving to prepare for such a change, with China’s official cyberspace regulator conspicuously silent on the matter.
