Death of Chinese student sparks privacy concerns

The death of a young college student is sure to arouse curiosity – there is no need to criticize this human interest.

In an era however when anyone can publish news, on their social media accounts, for example, we must be mindful of ethics.

In-depth reports about the deceased do not help investigators solve the accident, nor do they contribute to valuable discourse – they are often mere gossip.

An old Chinese saying, "Si Zhe Wei Da," says that the dead should be respected, and that the living should no longer talk about their rights and wrongs.

While more and more netizens get to know Chen's story, it may only bring more harm and hurt to her loved ones.

In our increasingly online era, people should still be responsible for what they say. Harsh words can be a brutal weapon and can cause serious injuries to people we do not even know.

Sina Weibo has hidden Chen's posts and closed several online users' account for abuse, saying, "Please respect the deceased and discuss the accident rationally."