A city in central China has banned any unauthorized attempt to trace the true identities of Internet users to prevent possible revenge for comments they post on the Web, and the city government vowed to pay more attention to the opinions of the public via the Internet.

"Irrelative agencies are not allowed to trace and investigate the real identities of Internet users to ensure that people enjoy their constitutional rights to free speech," the city government of Luoyang, Henan Province, said in an official notice, Dahe.com reported today.

Telecommunication carriers and supervision bodies at all Web chat rooms in the city should protect users' privacy according to China's laws and are not allowed to offer background information on Web users to unauthorized people, the report said.

Police authorities may probe reports that claim the prosecution and discipline supervision watchdogs seek revenge on online whistleblowers after they find their true ID, the report added.

The Luoyang government last month pledged that it would welcome the public playing a stronger role in the city affairs through the Internet, a step it hopes will lead to a more transparent government.

To encourage more ideas from Web users, the government said it will release investigation reports related with any major accidents in the city on the Internet to encourage public supervision, the report said.

But the government also warned that it would punish those who release false information on the Internet, especially those who have caused a negative impact on society.

(Shanghai Daily August 24, 2007)