Weibo CEO Wang Gaofei said accounts with more than 1 million followers would be required to reveal their identities on Weibo. In response to a wave of backlash from users over privacy concerns, Wang announced that he would test the controversial feature himself by pioneering the display of real names on personal accounts.
New rules could make it easier for Weibo to manage its platform
Weibo’s CEO said that different rules may apply to accounts with larger followings. In addition, the threshold for displaying real names may be lowered to 500,000 followers in the future and not lower. It is not yet clear whether Weibo will remove anonymity for all users or just certain groups of accounts.
In July, China's internet watchdog asked social media sites to tighten controls on content creators and improve account verification.
Some Weibo users expressed concern that the new rules could lead to online activities having a negative impact on real life. In a post with more than 4,000 likes, a Chinese blogger questioned whether online crimes such as insults, harassment, stalking, and defamation could be effectively controlled in a context where personal information is easily leaked.
Dubbed the “Twitter of China,” Weibo has been losing its appeal to young people amid fierce competition from ByteDance’s short video platform Douyin. The company has also struggled to manage its social network amid strict regulations and censorship by Chinese regulators.
In 2022, Weibo and Douyin began displaying users' locations based on IP addresses, a feature designed to prevent the spread of false rumors.
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