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A new update of Weibo, the “Chinese Twitter”, is causing controversy among users.
Said update arises as a measure to avoid the “bad behavior” of Internet users.
Known as the “Chinese Twitter”, Weibo has just updated its platform and, incidentally, has put the security of its users at risk.
Without a doubt, social networks are changing the way people relate to each other; Each update that is released has the purpose of generating a change in the way Internet users socialize with what is happening in the world.
Somehow, with the arrival of platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok And even if we go further back with Messenger MSN, Hi5, MySpace, among a long list, the communication between people changed definitively.
Today, it is enough to take the cell phone and type for a single message to reach millions of people around the world; Digitization, among other things, has facilitated many processes that were almost unthinkable before. Users now have platforms designed to communicate over long distances with just a few clicks.
That is why, in a context in which there are more and more users on the web, more people who have an internet connection and social networks, the power and scope of these is increasing, although, on some occasions, , does not mean that this is for the benefit of the users themselves.
Weibo, the “Chinese Twitter”, launches update and creates controversy
An example of the latter is what Weibo, known as the Chinese “Twitter”, which has 570 million active userswhich, like many other platforms, is controlled by the authorities.
This Thursday, the most popular social network in that country launched an update with which it publicly shares the location and IP address of each user in its publications, this as an obligation, since Internet users do not have the option of wanting or not sharing said information.
The initiative, according to Weibo, arises as a measure to avoid the “bad behavior” of Internet users, as well as to put an end to those accounts that “impersonate parties involved in hot topics”, or spread “malicious disinformation”.
For various reasons, Weibo is the Chinese simile of Twitter, although, unlike the social network of tycoon Elon Musk, control is entirely on the side of the authorities, who monitor every step of the users on this and other platforms.
Now, in its recent update, Internet users’ publications will be accompanied by their IP address and a label with the province or municipality where they come from. In addition, in the event that a post is published from somewhere outside of China, the country of origin will be identified with its respective IP address.
“Weibo has always been committed to maintaining a healthy and orderly discussion environment and protecting the rights and interests of users to obtain real and effective information quickly”explained the social network in a statement.
Of course, this measure has not been entirely well taken by userswho, although they consider that it is a solution against fake news, there are those who affirm that it is an act of censorship.
In this sense, The censorship that is exercised in China is within the reach of all users, whether on social networks or, even, of any person. Months ago, to mention an example, it prohibited those under 18 years of age from playing video games for more than three hours a week.
On the other hand, given the strong repression that exists in the Asian country, sites like Yahoo! and LinkedIn decided to terminate their services.