Blogs have been rich material for news and also entertainment in China. As bloggers are being taken to court over offences like slander, some are pausing to question if more should be done to regulate blogs in the mainland, especially when bloggers are expected to number 100 million by next year.

Some have called blogs the platform for the common folks to air their views. For the man who brought blogging into China, it is nothing short of a new social revolution. In September, a Beijing court dismissed the first case between two bloggers.

The plaintiff had asked for 10,000 RMB, but the court ordered the defendant to pay 1010 RMB, or about 130 US dollars, and to post an apology online. The government has already said it will tighten regulation of blog sites, including setting admission requirements.

Industry players say blogs do not need dedicated laws, as the current regulations covering the internet are sufficient. And ultimately, most bloggers are disciplined. Experts say in the next two to three years, blogs could exceed the country's number of netizens. And by then, mobile phones could become another important blogging tool.

Source:佚名