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Hu Yong: The Chinese Internet industry will thrive only if it respects individuals

魏一帆　更新于2010年03月6日

Domain registration is not suitable for continued use as a control. Rather it should be treated purely as a plan for civil rights. There should be no limits on the qualifications of those who register for domain names… The current laws and regulations restricting basic registration are too strict. They are not beneficial for the expansion of the dot-cn system, nor are they in synch with the basic characteristics of the Internet world wide––openness and equality.

The Chinese Internet industry will thrive only if it respects individuals

By guest commentator Hu Yong [胡泳]

In just a short two months, the dot-cn domain has been on a roller coaster ride.  First, it was cited as an accomplice in providing pornographic material as nine government departments cooperated in an anti-pornography campaign on cell phones. It was also determined that China National Network Information Center (CNNIC), which is the only organ allowed to register domestic domain names, did not strictly enforced the real-name review system [to ensure the true identities of dot-cn domain name holders]. In essence, it made it rather easy to operate obscene sexual websites. Since CNNIC had to provide proof of its innocence, it declared that as of December 14, 2009 when applying for dot-cn domain registration, formal application materials must be provided. This includes the original domain name application with an official seal, a photocopy of the business license, and a photocopy of the identification card of the applicant.

These measures have been universally understood as a suspension of individual dot-cn domain name registrations, but this understanding is not correct at all. Even though individuals have always registered these names, the system has never recognized this kind of “registration.” Citizens have never been granted the legal opportunity to register dot-cn domains.  Now as CNNIC rectifies its management, it is merely reiterating and strictly enforcing existing regulations.

So is there no cause for criticism of CNNIC?  Of course there is. The year end rectification of CNNIC’s domain names has been satirized as a kind of violent demolition of the Internet, which is not an unreasonable description. One manifestation of this “violence” is when dot-cn domain names were being promoted domestically this year. CNNIC not only used the banner of patriotism, it also encouraged domain registration companies to enter into a price war, even urging them not to balk at launching a so-called “The one yuan domain name campaign for all people and the national domain name launching plan.” The results of the promotion were startling: dot-cn domains quickly rose from 1000 to 13 million. But during the promotion, didn’t CNNIC know that regulations prohibited individual registrations for dot-cn domains? After these individual operators had already become an enormous group, CNNIC made another statement saying that, in fact, individual domain registrations have never been permitted in the system and must be strictly dealt with. This is like building a large department store and after using all kinds of means to solicit a large number of tenants, the department store suddenly announces that its contract with the store owners is illegal.

For whatever reason, CNNIC had been operating illegally for a long time but now this has effectively strangulated the life out of Internet entrepreneurship. Not only are individuals unable to register dot-cn domain names, even registered users will be subjected to inspection. There can be only one kind of grave consequence: Internet users will vote with their feet to escape the “violent demolition,” taking their business abroad. At the turn of the new year international domain name registration in China has suddenly exploded and dot-cn names have reduced dramatically.

Websites and users leaving en masse has created enormous pressure on CNNIC, forcing it to rethink its domain name policy. It announced new regulations just days ago: individual or unincorporated organization domain name holders must provide the registrant’s personal identification and valid contact information. Though such a simple sentence does not mean dot-cn domain names will once again embrace individual users, at least it recognizes the legality of previous individual dot-cn domain name holders.

Moreover, media reports state CNNIC is currently researching draft plans to open personal registration of domain names. Despite the vacillation and disorganization of CNNIC’s policies which have caused Internet users to adopt a wait and see attitude, the wild fluctuation between the extremes of saying they will take it over completely to saying it will be wide open has had a grave impact on the reputation of dot-cn domains. However, CNNIC has begun to get back on the right track. It is using good intentions to consider the personal interests of the 384 million Chinese Internet users, 13 million dot-cn domain name users and the 3 million websites under dot-cn domains which have been removed from the Internet. This is worth encouraging.

Dot-cn represents the top level domain name of China around the world. It is the trademark of China on the Internet. This trademark ought to be owned by every Chinese person. Domain registration is not suitable for continued use as a control. Rather it should be treated purely as a plan for civil rights. There should be no limits on the qualifications of those who register for domain names. Even if problems arise because of this, it is a bit like finding mouse droppings in your soup. You can’t give up eating altogether because of this. Besides, the current laws and regulations restricting basic registration are too strict. They are not beneficial for the expansion of the dot-cn system, nor are they in synch with the basic characteristics of the Internet world wide––openness and equality.

If we make a comprehensive survey of the history of the development of the Internet, we will find that the vast majority of websites around the world are built and operated by individuals. The influence of the Internet expressed in today’s global society is tied up with the convergence of efforts on the part of countless individuals. It can be said that individuals are the soul of the Web. Without them, there is no Internet. For this reason, in the wake of an unusual shake up of dot-cn domain names, we hope CNNIC can absorb this lesson and respect individuals and every Chinese Internet user even more. This is not just a kind of civilized or elitist respect, but even more so it is a necessary precondition for developing Chinese Internet industries and is directly related to the long term and overall interests of our nation.

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NOTE: This is a translation of an editorial which first appeared in Southern Weekly on January 21, 2010. The original can be found here.