China’s least tech-savvy government official has just got his comeuppance. According to the Modern Express, a bureaucrat in Jiangsu did not realise that Sina Weibo was a public blogging service, and used it instead to flirt with a married woman. Unaware that their conversation was open to all to see, Xia Zhiqiang, the director of Liyang City’s health bureau, told his “Honey” not to use phone calls or SMS messages, as their liaison might be found out. He then discussed how he could give her a hotel keycard, so that they could share a “sacred moment”. When Xia was contacted by the newpaper he was shocked to be told that thousands of netizens were reading his flirty exchanges. Xia – internet knowledge clearly lacking – had assumed Sina Weibo was a private instant messaging service. The Shanghai Daily says Xia has since been suspended from his post and is under investigation.
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