More than 1,000 people punished for chaotic fan circle behavior in China

BEIJING -- More than 800 people have received criminal punishment and over 200 people have faced administrative penalties for chaotic behavior of "fan circles" this year, according to China's Ministry of Public Security.

"Fan circles," or "Fanquan" in Chinese, refer to organized online communities focused on specific celebrities. Originally centered around the entertainment industry, these groups are now common in the sports field as well. Such fan groups often engage in organized activities such as purchasing products endorsed by their idols and upvoting idol-related content online.

In recent years, some fan circles have been criticized for overzealous behavior, which sometimes leads to online conflicts or even cyberbullying, infringing on celebrities' privacy and inducing excessive consumption.

Since this year, Chinese police have investigated over 700 fan circle-related cases involving illegal and criminal acts such as fake engagement by fan groups on social networks, stalking, selling personal information, and cyberbullying, Shi You, an official with the ministry, said at a press conference on Friday.

During the Paris Olympic Games, the police had taken strong measures to investigate several cyberbullying cases related to fan communities, which garnered widespread attention and support from the public, Shi said.

In August, the ministry published four typical cases of cyberbullying and slandering against Chinese Olympians. Both the Chinese Table Tennis Association and the Chinese Gymnastics Association voiced support for the crackdown and condemned chaotic fan circle behavior that had an "extremely negative influence" on athletes, coaches and other staff members.

Shi said that the ministry will continue cracking down on illegal fan circle activities, and reminded fans to engage in rational and civilized fandom practices.