Vigilant Internet watchdogs deter corrupt officials

Recent posts on Weibo have revealed a campaign to expose officials who purchase luxury brand watches, as illuminated by the case of Yang Dacai, a safety supervision official whose insensitive smile at the site of a bus crash in Yan'an, Shaanxi Province, propelled him to online infamy.

Beyond the smile, it was his expensive watches which led to a government probe into his assets, demonstrating that the ability of online exposure to combat corruption is increasing.

In the past, instances of corruption exposed online were isolated. Now, groups of netizens can target officials they don't like and expose their wrongdoings through "human flesh searches" to track down every scrap of information possible.

Due to the staggering numbers of Chinese netizens, the power this group has to curb corruption may grow exponentially, changing the landscape of the fight against corruption in China.

The deterrence of such online exposure, which can destroy an official's career overnight, seems far more effective than anti-corruption education measures.

It's likely that many officials will instinctively resist wearing luxury watches in public, and be aware of how they use other luxury items as well. This will strike a heavy blow to the despicable practice of sending officials luxury items as gifts.

Due to these powerful "human flesh searches," consumption of other luxury products will also be restrained to a certain degree. This undoubtedly helps combat corruption in China.

The Internet imposes a stern, somehow idealized standard on officials' honesty and integrity, a standard that is way above the actual level of Chinese society.

Internet watchdogs select officials at random, and their judgments of these officials' performance may not necessarily be accurate.

Nonetheless, through focusing on certain misbehavior of some officials, these netizens are able to negate their overall performance and focus solely on their corrupt actions. This prompts officials to be responsible not only to their superiors and those under their administration, but also to public opinion on the Internet.

There are uncertainties as to whether the power of Internet watchdogs will always be used rationally. But we should encourage the special role of the Internet in the fight against corruption at the moment. Its randomness in picking up "corrupt officials" should last for a period, to reinforce officials' awareness of self-discipline.

But meanwhile, government disciplinary bodies must catch up. In the long run, there are risks if the Internet is excessively relied upon and acts as a judge of the primary code of behavior and ethics.

The institutionalization of anti-corruption efforts, which is falling behind society's demands, must be stressed.

Officials should also learn a lesson from the recent wave of exposure of officials' luxury watches. They should fundamentally raise their awareness in terms of restraining themselves and watch their own words and deeds on all occasions. Sticking to "tacit rules" in officialdom will fail them sooner or later.