Over 700,000 pieces of fake online content deleted

More than 700,000 pieces of fake information on the internet have been eliminated by Chinese police during a 100-day campaign against rumors, the Ministry of Public Security said on Friday.

Since April 10, when the campaign was launched, police officers across the country have solved more than 2,300 cases of making or spreading rumors, removing a total of 705,000 false messages in cyberspace and closing over 21,000 illegal accounts, according to the data released by the ministry.

The police have also punished internet platforms about 8,000 times by warnings and fines, urging them to shoulder responsibilities of guaranteeing cybersecurity and maintaining order in cyberspace.

"Some people were found to have made use of hot issues or breaking news to falsify information in order to attract online views and public attention, while some were discovered to have taken advantage of new technologies, such as artificial intelligent software or hacking, to tamper with websites and post fake content," Zhang Junbing, an official from the ministry's cybersecurity protection department, told a news conference.

"We also found that some internet users falsify information about security of students or schools, as well as disasters, to disturb social order and make public panic," he said.

For example, a netizen has been detained in Hubei province on suspicion of posting fake information that a middle school girl was stabbed 13 times, he added.

"Although the campaign is about to close, our crackdown against online misconducts, including rumors and cyberbullying, will go on," he said, noting that Chinese police will increase inspections on internet platforms while strengthening the fight against false information.

He also called on residents to enhance self-protection awareness to jointly purify online environment.