Do you have what it takes to be an 'internet supervisor' in China?

OK now, if you are over 18 years old, you have high school education, you have used internet for more than three years, you know internet pretty well -- sounds like us ... we're getting excited! -- you think you can accurately express your opinions, and most importantly, you care about establishing a "civilized internet", you are qualified be an internet supervisor, at least according to Beijing Association of Online Media (BAOM) -- first time we've heard about this group -- in this Sohu report.

The association is trying to recruit 200 "internet supervisors", who will be responsible for supervising uncivilized behaviour, illegal and “bad” information on Beijing-based websites in their free time (we are not sure exactly what the job entails, however). Supervisors are supposed to report their findings to the associations through email, phone calls and live and in person at meetings. Oh, we almost forgot, supervisors get RMB 100 per month allowance for broadband expenses!

Interested readers can send an email to xiehui@baom.com.cn and a 300-word story about your understanding of the phrase “establish a civilized internet” is required.

We also found some interesting information about BAOM in their English website:

Established on October 26, 2004, Beijing Association of Online Media (BAOM) is an organization which is voluntarily and jointly founded by news agencies and non-news agencies, relevant educational, scientific research institutes and other units and individuals in Beijing which have secured approval according to law to provide news and information services through the Internet. The current President is Wang Hui, Director of the Information Office of Beijing Municipal People’s Government. It has more than 50 members, and most of them are group members. The Publicity Department of Beijing Municipal CPC Committee and the Information Office of Beijing Municipal People’s Government are the umbrella organizations for the association. Its office is located in Beijing.

The BAOM aims to publicize state laws, regulations and policies to the online media in a proactively manner, advocate the social responsibilities and professionalism of the online media, appraise the behaviors of members in violation of relevant state laws and regulations, assist competent government departments in strengthening management, safeguard the national information security and social and public interests, protect the legitimate rights and interests of members and promote the sound and orderly development of the Internet news and information services in accordance with the Constitution of the People’s Republic of China and state laws and relevant laws and regulations on the administration of Internet news and information services.

Amen to that.