On May 16, 2011, representatives from 140 Chinese websites signed the Self-discipline Convention of Fighting against Illegal Public Relation Activities on the Internet (hereafter referred to as the “Self-discipline Convention”).
The draft of the Self-discipline Convention was initiated by Internet Society of China (ISC). The key points of the Self-discipline Convention included: Internet websites should commit that they will not organize or take part in any illegal public relation activities on the Internet, determinedly fight against illicit competitions that harm other’s business reputation, guide the Netizens to think rationally, deliver civilized statement and to participate in an order way, and devote to create healthy and sound Internet Public Opinion Environment.
Mr. MA Ning, the Secretary-general of ISC pointed out that Internet industry kept rapid and sound development in China. However, there were some illegal agencies and individuals, who did the illegal public relation activities on the Internet, such as “Internet water army” (referred to a group of Internet ghostwriters paid to post online comments with particular content), “Internet marketers” (referred to those who stand to earn big money by thrusting people into the limelight), “flood-blogging company” (referred to the companies that add amounts of blogs on the Internet), “deleting-blogging company”, and polling company etc. These illegal public relation activities disturbed the market economy order, harmed the legal interest and right of the enterprises and citizens, and damaged the civilized Internet environment. ISC denounced the illegal public relation activities on the Internet, advocated Internet companies and Netizens jointly fight against the illegal public relation activities, and made efforts to create healthy and civilized Internet environment, maintain Internet market operation and information transmission in good order and to propel websites development in sound and healthy way.
Mr. WEN Yonggang, the Vice General Manager of China Network Television (CNTV) gave his statement as the representative of the websites. He said that the illegal public relation activities arbitrarily harmed citizen’s right to be informed, caused Internet trust crisis and destroyed social civilization. As a well-known Chinese website, CNTV has responsibility and duty to play a model role in supporting the Special Operation of Fighting against Illegal Public Relation Activities.
Mr. LI Bin, the General Manager of Cqnews.net, expressed that Cqnews.net will organize the editors to intensify their study of Internet related laws and regulations, and strengthen the training of professional spirit and ethics, to better play the guardian role of the editors in Internet media.
Mr. HU Bin, the General Editor of Tianya.cn, pointed out that the deficiency of integrity and the loss of values under the anonymous situation restrained the healthy development of the Internet culture to some extent. To promote real-name registration system in the background is our inevitable choice. Only with the support of real-name registration system, it can ensure Internet prosperity and order and cut down the illegal statements and actions primarily.
Ms. TAO Lin, the Director of External Affair Department, China InterActive Corp, said that they will take scientific marketing and spreading theory as the practical reference, and make efforts in creating fair, healthy, orderly, equal and open Internet public relation environment.
Since April of this year, the State Council Information Office, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Ministry of Public Security and State Administration of Industry and Commerce jointly launched the Special Operation to fight against illegal public relation activities on the Internet and take effective measures to carry on the Operation.
