China’s cyberspace regulator has launched a special campaign to clean up online information, focusing on social media accounts that disseminate fake news and impersonate state-controlled media. The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) has intensified its efforts to clean up the internet from false news and rumours, closing more than 100,000 online accounts that misrepresented news anchors and media agencies over the past month. The regulator said it had wiped 107,000 accounts of counterfeit news units and news anchors and 835,000 pieces of fake news information since April 6.
China’s Control Over Social Media
The cleanup comes as countries across the globe grapple with an onslaught of fake news coverage online. News dissemination on Chinese social media is already heavily controlled, with platforms like the Twitter-like Weibo favouring topic hashtags produced by state media, while censoring hashtags on issues or incidents considered sensitive by Beijing, even if they go viral. The CAC said its review found accounts that had disguised themselves as authoritative news media by falsifying news studio scenes and imitating professional news presenters, using artificial intelligence (AI) to create anchors to mislead the public.
Fake news identified covered hot topics such as social incidents and international current affairs, according to a statement the CAC posted on Monday on its website. The regulator will guide online platforms to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of the majority of internet users to obtain authoritative and real news. It also encourages users to provide leads on counterfeit news and anchors. China’s government has regularly ordered sweeping measures to scrub the internet of material and language it deemed inappropriate, offensive and a threat to the public and businesses.
Recently, the CAC has also vowed to crack down on malicious online comments that damage the reputation of businesses and entrepreneurs. Nascent generative AI technology like ChatGPT has introduced another layer of caution. China recently arrested a man in Gansu province for allegedly using ChatGPT to generate a fake story about a train crash.
Overall, China is taking steps to ensure that its social media content is free from false news and misleading accounts. By closing fake news accounts and wiping fake information, the CAC is guiding online platforms to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of internet users to obtain authoritative and real news.
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