New Internet rules allow websites to be sued for defamation in China

China’s Supreme Court announced new rules on Thursday that would allow websites to be sued for defamation and breach of privacy.

The new judicial interpretation rules that internet users can now be sued for posting other people’s personal data online against their will, and a website may be held liable if they fail to delete such information upon request.

The court also possesses the right to order websites to provide personal details of the defendant if it deems necessary.

The new regulation steps into the grey area of “human flesh search engine”, a Chinese term used to describe collective endeavours to track down and identify people by online vigilantes seeking to shame those violating social morals.

Notorious cases include collaborative searches for a woman who crushed a kitten’s skull using her high-heeled shoes and Wang Fei, whose wife committed suicide allegedly due to his infidelity. And harassment from furious online users extends to real life: both victims lost their jobs and received death threats from strangers.

While some applauded the decision to curb cyber-bullying and abuse, sceptics worry that this new move may help corrupt or errant party officials get away with less scrutiny.