Chinese authorities have deleted over 1.4 million social media posts, following a comprehensive two-month investigation by regulators.
According to reports, the posts were removed due to various concerns such as spreading misinformation, engaging in illegal profiteering, and impersonating state officials, among other significant issues. The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) announced in a statement on that as part of a larger “rectification” initiative, they shut down 67,000 social media accounts and eliminated hundreds of thousands of posts between March 10 and May 22.
In an ongoing effort since 2021, China has focused on a massive campaign to purify its cyberspace, aiming to enhance authorities’ control over online platforms.
The most recent wave of action was directed towards numerous social media accounts within popular Chinese apps such as WeChat, Douyin, and Weibo. The targeted accounts belonged to the category commonly referred to as “self media,” which includes those that share news and information but are not officially government-operated or state-endorsed.
The CAC reportedly revealed that out of the 67,000 permanently closed accounts, nearly 8,000 were eliminated due to their involvement in “spreading fake news, rumors, and harmful information.”
Approximately 930,000 other accounts faced less severe consequences, ranging from losing all their followers to experiencing temporary suspension or complete termination of profit-making privileges.
In a separate initiative, the regulator recently shut down over 100,000 accounts that were allegedly engaged in misrepresenting news anchors and media agencies, which aimed to counter the escalating prevalence of AI-assisted online fake news coverage.
Reports also noted that the CAC also announced that their latest campaign specifically targeted nearly 13,000 fraudulent military accounts, with names like “Chinese Red Army Command,” “Chinese Anti-terrorist Force,” and “Strategic Missile Force.”
Furthermore, around 25,000 additional accounts were singled out for impersonating public institutions, including disease prevention and control centers, as well as state-run research institutes.
A total of approximately 187,000 individuals faced penalties for impersonating news media organizations, while over 430,000 were accused of providing professional advice or educational services without possessing the necessary qualifications.
Furthermore, approximately 45,000 accounts were closed for engaging in activities such as sensationalising popular topics, pursuing popularity at any cost, and participating in illegal monetisation practices.
The regulatory body stated that it had actively collaborated with public security agencies, market supervision authorities, and other departments to deal a significant blow and rectify the unlawful behavior of “self-media.”
Additionally, the statement urged the majority of internet users to actively participate in monitoring and reporting instances of illegal “self-media,” providing leads and collectively working towards maintaining a clean cyberspace.
