by Wang Tianyi

The Internet is the express way for conveying various information in a timely manner.

But it has been recently reported that Chinese firms and agencies are hiring employees to delete web postings that contain negative opinions or information about them or their products.

A commentary on the Worker's Daily says the rapid development of the Internet in China has given the public better access to all kinds of information, but that some businesses have growing concerns about negative information being leveled agaisnt them on the Internet.

Therefore, many are hiring employees whose job is to monitor, review and delete negative web postings about them.

The commentary notes that deleting web posts that companies deem negative is a denial of people's rights to know the information.

It argues that those who delete such information are sometimes protecting unscrupulous businesspeople by preventing the public from knowing the truth about their practices and products.

The commentary concludes that deleting web posts should be supervised by related departments.

Firms that delete web postings that contain negative information about them or their products in order to protect their own interests should also be punished.