Crackdown on cyberbullying gears up

Chinese judicial authorities stepped up efforts to fight cyberbullying in a move to further protect internet users' legitimate rights, according to annual work reports.

The reports of the Supreme People's Court and the Supreme People's Procuratorate were submitted to the ongoing third session of the 14th National People's Congress, China's top legislature, for review on Saturday.

The SPP said in the report that prosecutors nationwide intensified the fight against those who spread rumors in cyberspace and took advantage of hot issues online to harm others.

Last year, Chinese prosecutors charged 2,458 individuals with the crime of infringing upon personal information, so as to protect people's privacy and data security, according to the SPP's report. A total of 383 people were punished for bullying others on the internet, the SPC said in its report.

The SPC report specified that 292 people were convicted of crimes infringing on personal information and 91 others were penalized for insult or defamation, down 22.3 percent and 32 percent year-on-year, respectively.