Weibo Introduces Front‑Page Real‑Name Display and Visitor Record Feature: Privacy Implications

Earlier this month, prominent Weibo user @洪榕 reported that the platform is testing a front‑page real‑name system, which will display the account holder's name and occupation on the profile page for accounts exceeding a certain follower threshold. The CEO of Sina Weibo, 王高飞 (nickname “来去之间”), already shows "自媒体前台实名" as his name.

The real‑name requirement is initially targeted at self‑media accounts with over one million followers, potentially lowering to 500,000, meaning only influential media accounts must comply while ordinary users remain under the back‑end verification system.

Some high‑profile users have already deleted their accounts in response to the policy.

Simultaneously, Weibo has rolled out a visitor‑record feature that logs who visited a user's homepage each day at 8 am. The data is visible only to the account owner and can be filtered by all visitors, followed users, followers, non‑followers, and verified users.

Non‑members can see only a summary, while SVIP and VVIP members can view the full list, delete their own visit records, and access additional sorting options. This functionality is still in testing and not yet widely available.

Users have expressed strong opposition, fearing that the feature turns Weibo into a surveillance tool similar to older platforms like Renren or QQ Space. Historical notes show that in 2017 the Weibo CEO mocked the idea of a visitor‑record service, later joking that such a feature could be offered as a paid membership benefit.

The front‑page real‑name system aligns with the Chinese Cyberspace Administration's directive to strengthen self‑media management and improve information authenticity, while the visitor‑record feature appears driven by commercial motives to encourage premium subscriptions.

Overall, many users view these changes as a breach of privacy, describing the platform as “bare‑naked” and warning that it may push users toward alternative social networks.