Cybersecurity. Photo: VCG

Since April, public security authorities across the country have investigated more than 2,300 cases, rectified nearly 8,000 internet platform companies, shut down more than 21,000 illegal accounts, and cleared up more than 705,000 online rumors, the Ministry of Public Security said at a news conference on Friday.
In recent years, some self-media practitioners have exploited social hotspots to fabricate and spread internet rumors. Some even boldly stage, write, direct, and conjure up false events online for the sake of attracting followers, diverting traffic, and illegally profiting.

Some web enterprises fail to fulfill their responsibilities in implementing cybersecurity, allowing rumors to spread extensively on their platforms, which has led to adverse social impacts.

Some "internet water armies" frequently interfere and maliciously hype related cases, creating hot topics by fabricating and disseminating false information to attract traffic, profit, and extort etc. These illegal behaviors disrupt the order of cyberspace and public order, officials said. Not only might they violate the provisions of the Administrative Penalties for Public Security, but in severe cases, they may also constitute crimes such as fabricating and disseminating false information, picking quarrels and provoking troubles, and extortion.

Since the deployment of the special campaign on April 10, the national public security organs have cracked down on the illegal and criminal acts of fabricating and spreading rumors through hot topics, cracked down on the illegal and criminal gangs of the "internet water army" according to law, strengthened the comprehensive management of the source of the website platform, and exposed typical cases to strengthen the publicity and education of the law, officials said.

Sun Jinfeng, an official with the cybersecurity bureau under the Ministry of Public Security, said that more than 500 such cases were investigated during the special campaign, accounting for about 21 percent of the total number of cases. More than 130 cases of "internet water army" were investigated, and more than 620 criminal suspects were arrested, Sun noted.

Global Times