China's cyberspace body cracks whip on false information
By Li Hongyang | chinadaily.com.cn | Updated: 2023-07-15 14:15
More than 370 accounts were dealt with by China's cyberspace administration for fabricating or distorting public policy information, the body said on Saturday
The Cyberspace Administration of China said in a statement that to combat the spread of false information, it has taken action against 373 social media accounts that have been fabricating and distorting public policies, spreading baseless rumors, and misinformation.
These accounts have been disseminating deceptive content to gain online popularity and other profits from misleading the public, it said on Saturday.
Among several cases disclosed by the administration included an article that spread on the internet claiming that a conference will discuss various fiscal and economic policies, causing fluctuations in the stock market. Such typical rumors, disguised with authority, have had a severely negative impact. Therefore, those accounts spreading such rumors on platforms including WeChat and Sina Weibo have been closed down in accordance with the law, the administration said.
In another case, some accounts claimed they were "national leading group for improving underdeveloped areas" and fabricated false information online, saying can help cities and counties obtain government subsidy funds ranging from 1 billion to 10 billion yuan ($1.4 billion). Those accounts have also been shut down, the administration said.
The administration said it will continue to take decisive actions against spreading rumors, strictly investigate the account owners, expose typical cases and form a strong deterrent effect. Meanwhile, it welcomes departments and netizens to report and work together to curtail rumors and cultivate a more reliable and credible digital landscape.
In 2021, the CAC launched the campaign called "Operation Qinglang" ("clear and bright" in Chinese) to create a clean internet environment.
In a most recent action in May, the CAC permanently closed down 66,600 individual media accounts on social media and online after investigating for two months as part of a special campaign to crack down on rumor mongering, imposture and illegal for-profit activities.
