Internet Cafe
© Kai HendryAn Internet cafe in Beijing, China.
China is imposing new measures with regard to its residents' online activities, a move that tightens its ever-increasing restrictions on Internet usage and one that might raise a few more eyebrows.

According to a report from Reuters, state media reported that Internet users in the country who spread irresponsible online rumors will be charged with defamation if proven that what they shared online was viewed by 5,000 Internet users or reposted more than 500 times. A violator can be sentenced up to three years in jail.

In a news conference organized by the People's Daily, a spokesman from China's top court Sun Jungong described using the Internet to spread rumors and defame people as "criminal activities" and acts that deserve "serious punishment," adding that "no country would consider the slander of other people as freedom of speech."

Moreover, spreading false information or rumors online can be considered a "serious case" if it causes its subjects mental anguish or causes protests or ethnic or religious unrest or "bad international effect."

The news sparked some negative reactions online from micro-blogging site Sina Weibo. "It's far too easy for something to be reposted 500 times or get 5,000 views. Who is going to dare say anything now?" posted one user. "This interpretation is against the constitution and is robbing people of their freedom of speech," another one wrote.

China's monitoring of its population's online activities is not new in the news. In 2006, BBC News reported China's scrutiny over online games for forbidden content that contains "sensitive religious material" or refers to "territorial disputes." For distributors to be able to release new games, they must first gain approval and submit monthly monitoring reports.

Meanwhile, in 2010, The New York Times reported how China's censors even reach the point wherein Google search results were limited. According to the news, when an Internet user in China searched for the word "carrot" in the search engine, he or she can only see a blank screen in the results.

Apparently, Chinese-language searches on the nation's leaders are forbidden, and the word "carrot" contains the same Chinese character as the surname of President Hu Jintao.