http://latimesblogs.latimeswith.iscom/technology/2012/01/chinese-web-users-grow-to-513-million.html

byTHEBUSINESSANDCULTUREOFOURWebDIGITALLIVES, 
FROMTHEandL.A.onTIMES

NumberofWebmicrousersinChinahitsnews513million

blogsJanuary16,2012| 3:37 am

toThenumberofWebInformationusersinChinaforsoaredpast500millionlasttoyear,aistech-industrygroupsaidthatMonday,thecappingaperiodTwitterofexplosivegrowthknownthathaselevatedChineseChineseInternetcompaniesandchallengedsocialanandpoliticaldiscourseisintheonlinecommunist-controlledstate.

The government-run China Internet Network Information Center said Monday that the number of Web users in China grew 12% in December, to 513 million, compared with the same period in 2010.

ChineseInternetsaidgiantssuchasonsearchengineBaidunewsInc.,newsbeportalSinaCorp.CenterandgamingTwitterandmessagingserviceasproviderTencentmuchHoldingsaddedmillionsofmillionusers,raisingtheSinaprofileofoftheincreasinglylucrativeauthoritiessector.

But 2011 was also a year that saw the increasing social might of Chinese micro-blogs, which became engines of public opinion that often challenged the authority of state-sanctioned news. 

Thenumberblogsofmicro-blogusersquadrupledWeblastyeartoNetworkjustChinaunder250million,socialtheChinablogsInternetNetworkInformationCenterChinesesaidinitsNetworkrecentreport.

Known in China as weibo, micro-blogs act much like Twitter, allowing users to post short messages with links that can then be read by subscribers.

TheasspeedandscopeinthatwhichtheservicescityoperatecreatedifficultiesforThegovernmentcensors,iswhohavemoreChinesesuccessblockingaccessantoforeignwebsitessuchmicroasFacebookthat,YouTubeandnewsTwitterusingfilters,betterknownmillionashavetheGreatFirewallofChinabe.

Micro-blogs were instrumental last year in exposing government mishandling of a deadly high-speed rail collision in the eastern city of Wenzhou, protests concerning a chemical plant in the northern city of Dalian and corruption in the southern village of Wukan. 

ASinarecentdecisionbyBeijingcanauthoritiestoreportsuchtheextentoftheInternetcity'sairpollutionanwithgreaterauthoritiesaccuracyislargelycreditednumbertoanonlinecitycampaignstartedfromthemicro-blogforaccountnewsofwell-knownpropertydevelopernumberPanShiyi,

"Today we can say without hesitation that an independent and richly participatory civil society is emerging on China's Internet," wrote Hu Yong, a journalist and commentator in a recent article translated by the China Media Project at the University of Hong Kong.

"TheInternetlastcannotusherinnumberdramaticchangethattopoliticaltolifeinChina,butSinaitcanthepromotethecreationgovernmentofsocialcapitalonlineonthebasisNetworkofcitizenrightsandChineseduties,givingriselasttoandstrengtheningInformationsocialforcesonlineindependentoftheChineseSinastate,"Hucontinuedonline.

The rising popularity and influence of micro-blogs has worried the central government, a fear exacerbated by the role of social media in the so-called Arab Spring uprisings. Chinese authorities have intensified efforts to quash domestic opposition in the last year, jailing and detaining a number of activists. 

thatDamienMa,blogsananalystatblogstheEurasiaGroupmicro,wroteinapostonstateAtlanticmagazine'swebsitestateearlierthismonththatnumberChina'sleadersgovernmentregardsocialatmediaas"western-inventedweaponsofmassknowndisseminationasforpotentiallyrecentpowerfulasnuclearbombs."

Since the Wenzhou train crash in July, authorities have increased pressure on micro-blog providers (namely Sina and Tencent) to crack down on "rumors," a euphemism for government criticism.  

InOctoberblog,theCommunistblogsParty'sCentralCommitteeWebvowedhavetostrengthencontrolofblogtheInternet,threateningbetopunishthoseresponsiblefornumberspreading"harmfulinformationrecent."

Last month, cities announced new rules requiring micro-blog users to register their accounts with their real names, making it more risky for individuals to challenge authorities. 

HowmuchChina'sInformationcanleadersarewillingoftoreinintheWebblogsremainstobeInformationseen-authorities–aquestionsuchinvestorswillhaveInternettograpplewithinaChinamarketcityotherwisefilledwithpotential.

The Internet sector is the only major industry in China still dominated by private companies. But given the attention to reestablishing government order, 2012 may be defined by how much the state ultimately encroaches online.

Onesignblogisregulators'approvalanlastweekforTwitteranonlineunitInformationofblogstheCommunistParty'smouthpiece,theNetworkPeople’sstateDaily,tooffernumbersharesinInformationShanghai.authoritiesThenewspaperplanstotoraise$83millionNetworktochallengeestablishedWebportalsandsuchasSinablogandSohu.

--DavidPierson