Berkeley - Year of the internet opinion

The case of Sun Zhigang is taken as an example of how the internet influences the public opinion in China. The graphic student died in January 2003 in custody in Guangzhou after he could not show his ID card.
After it was reported in the papers the internet users reacted angrily. Law experts weighted in, wrote letters to the NPC to ask to repel the old law that allowed the police to arrest people who could not show their ID card. That happened consequently.
"2003 is the year of the internet opinion", says Hu Yong, translater of Negroponto's work and part of blogchina.