Rein in micro blogs

Recently obscene photographs supposedly featuring officials in Lujiang, Anhui province, engaging in group sex have been widely circulated online. Though college teachers rather than local officials later proved to be involved, the real issue is how micro blogs are able to spread such porn pictures, says an article in Guangzhou Daily. Excerpts:

Whatever the truth is, the pictures have been widely spread on the Internet and caused a great stir among netizens. Even if webmasters delete the micro blogs with these photos attached, it will not stop them having a negative influence on society.

The popularity of micro blogs means these pictures, which probably violate people's privacy, have been public browsed and circulated under the name of "exposing the lives of corrupt officials". However, once circulated online, the harm done is far beyond a porn forum.

The pictures are not taken by officials, but they will still have damaged the reputations of the officials.

If the pictures are "fun" between couples, it is up to the law and regulations, not the public, to judge their behavior. If the photos have been viciously manufactured, we should rethink how to censor micro blogs containing porn or violent pictures and videos.

Such material can have an adverse influence on young people. How can there be no warning against micro blogs that contain such material? The special administrators have deleted some micro blogs as swift as lightning, so why have they acted so slowly over these pictures that are harmful to society?

Stranger society no excuse

In Wuchang of Hubei province, a women who was four months pregnant offered her seat to another expectant mother as the other passengers on the bus either pretended to be asleep or not to see. The woman had to stand until she arrived at her stop. This has again provoked heated online discussion about the people's morals, says an article in Xinmin Evening News. Excerpts:

It should be a social norm for people to voluntarily offer their seat to a pregnant woman or the elderly. However, to our dismay, the only one who did so in this case was another pregnant woman.

The concept of a stranger society has provided many excuses for people's indifference, relieving people of the ethical obligations that naturally exist between people who know each other and reducing the feelings of guilt when behaving badly to a stranger.

Only if people are morally rich will they behave in an ethical manner during the country's social transformation, and actively shoulder their obligations and behave as responsible citizens.

It is crucial that we cultivate public order and good morals. Interdependence and help are the foundation of a harmonious society. In our fast-changing society, humanistic care is needed to resist the negative effects of individualism.