Through cloud computing and mobile internet technologies, the authorities are now vastly better equipped to deal with pressing issues, accidents and fact correction. Websites offer a direct line to the people – important government information, when released, goes straight to those it affects.

Immediate and Effective

Compared to traditional media, websites are able to respond quickly to incidents and convey information to a large audience immediately and effectively. This affords websites an invaluable role in coping with emergencies.

Information cannot be suppressed, especially if it concerns dangerous or controversial incidents. If information is withheld from the public, the Internet usually plays the role of whistleblower, although the reliability of online sources then comes into question. Wu Heping, press spokesman of the Ministry of Public Security, summarized the point eloquently: “If the truth is withheld, rumors arise; if a major thoroughfare is blocked, small back roads teem with dangerous amounts of traffic.”

Many government websites have become proficient at coping with situations that require rapid responses from the authorities. A number of examples prove the point.

When SARS was rampant in 2003, local authorities throughout China were forced to carry out extensive quarantine procedures. This had the effect of stifling the flow of information, especially when traditional media coverage of SARS was sparse domestically.

At the time of the outbreak, the Wuhu municipal government in Anhui Province had just launched its website. The authorities quickly recognized the value of their web presence, and began posting regular updates on SARS on their homepage and encouraged citizens to share breaking news on the site. After the SARS panic subsided, the Wuhu municipal government website remained a popular information-sharing forum for residents.

Surveys suggest that falls are the primary cause of death for seniors 65-and-over in China. Taking care of the young as well as the aged is regarded as a virtue and a serious responsibility in traditional Chinese culture. The recent “Peng Yu Case,” however, has led to public caution in helping elderly who take falls. The case concerned a senior citizen named Xu Shoulan who fractured her hip after being knocked to the ground at a crowded bus stop. Peng Yu, an innocent bystander, rushed her to the hospital but was later accused of pushing her and ordered to pay compensation for her injury. This case and a number of similar incidents became hot topics in China. To clear up the confusion and encourage people to help elderly in distress, the Ministry of Health released the “Technical Guide to Helping Elderly Who Fall” on September 6, 2009. This document, widely read thanks to its online publication, contributed to the easing of the public morality crisis.

The website of the Wuwei municipal government in Gansu Province has also become an example of clarifying facts and stopping the spread of rumors. An example is the recent local gossip that the city’s civil servant recruitment process was unfair and favored candidates with rich and powerful parents. It resulted from Jiao Sanniu, a graduate in English from Tsinghua University, being selected to serve as vice director of the Office of Overseas Chinese Affairs after passing rigorous examinations. Jiao was born into a peasant family in a village in Shanxi Province, but rumors had it that he was the son of a high-ranking official. The government website posted detailed information on selection criteria, and the rumors quickly dissipated.

Despite these examples of the Internet aiding transparency and accountability, websites can be a two-edged sword. If government websites respond slowly to incidents, they lose credibility. They need to respond quickly as well as accurately to the issues of the day. To play a role in influencing public sentiment, such websites need to be comprehensive and updated in a timely fashion.