China’s Cyberspace Administration announces the deletion of 1.4 million social media posts

China’s Cyberspace Administration has declared the deletion of 1.4 million social media posts as part of a two-month investigation targeting issues like misinformation, illegal profiteering, and impersonation of state officials.

Between March 10 and May 22, the probe, which formed part of a broader “rectification” campaign, led to the closure of 67,000 social media accounts and the removal of hundreds of thousands of posts.

China’s efforts to clean up its cyberspace have been ongoing since 2021, aiming to exert greater control over online platforms and billions of social media accounts.

The recent crackdown, according to Reuters, specifically targeted popular Chinese social media apps like WeChat, Douyin, and Weibo, with a particular focus on “self-media” accounts. These accounts publish news and information but are not operated or approved by the government.

Out of the 67,000 permanently closed accounts, nearly 8,000 were shut down for spreading fake news, rumors, and harmful information.

Around 930,000 other accounts faced penalties ranging from losing followers to suspension or cancellation of profit-making privileges.

Additionally, a separate campaign closed over 100,000 accounts, targeting those allegedly misrepresenting news anchors and media agencies to combat the spread of fake news facilitated by AI technologies.

The recent campaign by the Cyberspace Administration of China also targeted approximately 13,000 counterfeit military accounts with names like “Chinese Red Army Command,” “Chinese Anti-terrorist Force,” and “Strategic Missile Force.”

Furthermore, 25,000 accounts were flagged for impersonating public institutions, while over 430,000 accounts provided professional advice or educational services without the necessary qualifications.

Another 45,000 accounts were closed for engaging in activities like hyping hot issues, clout-chasing, and illegal monetization.

The Cyberspace Administration actively collaborated with public security and market supervision departments to tackle illegal “self-media” and encouraged citizens to participate in monitoring and reporting such accounts.

However, it is worth noting that the Chinese government frequently detains individuals and censors accounts that share or publish factual information deemed sensitive or critical of the Communist Party, the government, or the military, especially when such content goes viral.