China’s cyberspace regulator said 1.4 million social media posts were removed following a two-month investigation into alleged misinformation, illegal speculation and impersonation of state officials, among other “pronounced issues.”
The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) said in a statement on Friday that it shut down 67,000 social media accounts and removed hundreds of thousands of posts between March 10 and May 22 as part of a broader “rectification” campaign. .
Since 2021, China has targeted billions of social media accounts in a bid to “clean up” its cyberspace and make it easier for authorities to control.
The latest crackdown targeted accounts on popular Chinese social media apps, including WeChat, Douyin and Weibo, which fall under the category of “self-media,” a term that broadly refers to accounts that post news and information. , but that are not administered by the government or by the state. approved.
Beijing frequently arrests citizens and censors accounts for posting or sharing factual information deemed sensitive or critical of the Communist Party, the government or the military, especially when such information goes viral.
Of the 67,000 accounts that were permanently closed, nearly 8,000 were removed for “spreading false news, rumors and harmful information,” according to CAC.
About 930,000 other accounts received less severe punishments, from removal of all followers to suspension or termination of profit-making privileges.
In a separate campaign, the regulator recently shut down more than 100,000 accounts that allegedly misrepresented newscasters and media agencies to counter the rise of fake news coverage online with the help of AI technologies.
The CAC said on Friday that its latest campaign had targeted nearly 13,000 forged military accounts, with names including “Chinese Red Army Command,” “China Counter-Terrorism Force” and “Strategic Missile Force.”
Some 25,000 more accounts were attacked for impersonating public institutions, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state research institutes.
Nearly 187,000 were penalized for impersonating media companies, while more than 430,000 allegedly offered career advice or educational services without having the relevant professional qualifications.
Around 45,000 accounts were closed for “promoting hot topics, influencer persecution, and illegal monetization.”
The regulator said it had “actively coordinated with public security, market supervision and other departments, to strike hard and rectify illegal ‘self-measures’.”
“At the same time, (we) also call on the majority of netizens to actively participate in monitoring and reporting (illegal ‘self-media’), provide tips… and jointly maintain a clean cyberspace,” he added.
© Thomson Reuters 2023