Use of social media in China just got more dangerous after the country’s Supreme Court announced tough new guidelines which could see untrue posts which are viewed more than 5,000 times land their author in jail for several years. The court document stated that any post containing so-called “online rumours” viewed 5,000 times …

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Tuesday 10th September 2013 04:42 GMT Gray Ham

What an excellent idea

And, as a member of the dole-bludging public servant classes, I can think of one name to be first in the dock ...

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1. Tuesday 10th September 2013 11:29 GMT Anonymous Coward
  
  Re: What an excellent idea
  
  Don't we have laws in this country (UK) that do similar?
  
  Libel/Slander laws (can never remember which on is the written word) I would assume, plus others I guess regarding bullying etc...
  
  So really this is not a shock except if there were not already laws to curb un-truths being rumoured about!
  
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Tuesday 10th September 2013 05:34 GMT Field Commander A9

Icon says all.

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Tuesday 10th September 2013 06:00 GMT LarsG

Damned if you tell the truth, damned if you get it wrong.

A perfect system to oppress free speech.

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Tuesday 10th September 2013 06:55 GMT jake

Idiots.

Opinions are never wrong. Ever. Might be an under educated opinion, yes.

But wrong? No. It's just an opinion.

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1. Tuesday 10th September 2013 09:40 GMT Anonymous Coward
  
  Re: Idiots.
  
  You're wrong, and you're a grotesquely ugly freak.
  
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Tuesday 10th September 2013 14:40 GMT Graham Marsden

Listening to rumours...

... is Treasonous, Citizen!

- Your friend, The Computer

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Tuesday 10th September 2013 14:45 GMT Anonymous Coward

The party doesn't just decide what is rumour, they also decide what is truth.

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Wednesday 11th September 2013 11:40 GMT MrZoolook

Quote: The court also clarified that users could be liable for even more serious offences if the rumours “seriously endanger social order and national interests”, for example if they lead to mass incidents, damage China’s image or lead to ethnic or religious conflict.

Does this mean if the people repost the official court decleration, those who brought the decleration in will be called to account? After all, legislation like this surely damages China's image.

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