China’s cyberspace regulator said 1.4 million social media posts had been deleted after 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 closed 67,000 social media accounts and deleted hundreds of thousands of posts between March 10 and May 22 as part of a broader “rectification” campaign.
Since 2021, China has been targeting billions of social media accounts in a bid to “clean up” its cyberspace and make it easier for authorities to control it.
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 are not. government or state-run. approved.
Beijing frequently arrests citizens and censors accounts for posting or sharing factual information deemed sensitive or critical of the Communist Party, government or military, especially when such information goes viral.
Of the 67,000 accounts that were permanently closed, nearly 8,000 were taken down for “spreading false news, rumors and harmful information,” according to the CAC.
About 930,000 other accounts received less severe punishments, from removing all followers to suspending or canceling for-profit privileges.
In a separate campaign, the regulator recently closed more than 100,000 accounts that allegedly misrepresented news anchors and media outlets to curb the rise of fake news coverage online aided by artificial intelligence technologies.
The CAC said on Friday that its latest campaign targeted nearly 13,000 fake military accounts, with names including “Chinese Red Army Command”, “Chinese Counter-Terrorism Force” and “Strategic Missile Force”.
About 25,000 other accounts were targeted for impersonating public institutions, such as centers for disease control and prevention and state research institutes.
Nearly 187,000 were punished for impersonating news media companies, while more than 430,000 allegedly offered professional advice or educational services without having relevant professional qualifications.
About 45,000 accounts were closed for “promoting important issues, pursuing influence and illegal monetization”.
The regulator said it had “actively coordinated with public safety, market oversight and other departments to deliver a heavy blow and rectify illegal ‘self-media'”.
“At the same time, (we) also urge the majority of Internet users to actively participate in monitoring and reporting (illegal ‘self-media’), provide clues… and jointly maintain a clean cyberspace,” he added.
(With information by Ella Cao and Bernard Orr and editing by Mike Harrison)
Source: CNN Brasil
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