Authorities will continue to take a hard line on Internet-based rumors and punish those creating fake information, a senior official said on Thursday.
Authorities
will
continue
to
take
a
hard
line
on
Internet-based
rumors
and
punish
those
creating
fake
information
,
a
senior
official
said
on
Thursday
.
Authorities have removed more than 210,000 online posts and shut down 42 websites since mid-March in their latest crackdown on online rumors, said Liu Zhengrong, a senior official with the State Internet Information Office.
Authorities
have
removed
more
than
210,000
online
posts
and
shut
down
42
websites
since
mid-March
in
their
latest
crackdown
on
online
rumors
,
said
Liu
Zhengrong
,
a
senior
official
with
the
State
Internet
Information
Office
.
Fake information or rumors spread through the Internet, especially on micro blogs, have harmed social order and residents' daily lives, he said at a news briefing in Beijing.
Fake
information
or
rumors
spread
through
the
Internet
,
especially
on
micro
blogs
,
have
harmed
social
order
and
residents
'
daily
lives
,
he
said
at
a
news
briefing
in
Beijing
.
Before the crackdown, six people who allegedly fabricated rumors about "military vehicles entering Beijing" had been detained and 16 websites closed for
Before
the
crackdown
,
six
people
who
allegedly
fabricated
rumors
about
``
military
vehicles
entering
Beijing
''
had
been
detained
and
16
websites
closed
for
fake online information, according to police authorities.
fake
online
information
,
according
to
police
authorities
.
"What we've done and will do is to make sure residents can know what they want to know, say what they think and supervise our management in a reliable and useful network environment," Liu said.
``
What
we
've
done
and
will
do
is
to
make
sure
residents
can
know
what
they
want
to
know
,
say
what
they
think
and
supervise
our
management
in
a
reliable
and
useful
network
environment
,
''
Liu
said
.
Liu disagreed that the Internet can police itself against rumors, and told China Daily that some netizens can't distinguish truth from fiction, "requiring government departments and website companies to take measures".
Liu
disagreed
that
the
Internet
can
police
itself
against
rumors
,
and
told
China
Daily
that
some
netizens
ca
n't
distinguish
truth
from
fiction
,
``
requiring
government
departments
and
website
companies
to
take
measures
''
.
On Monday, the Internet Society of China posted a proposal calling on Internet companies and websites to strengthen self-discipline and prevent the spread of online rumors.
On
Monday
,
the
Internet
Society
of
China
posted
a
proposal
calling
on
Internet
companies
and
websites
to
strengthen
self-discipline
and
prevent
the
spread
of
online
rumors
.
In response, three main Internet companies in the country - Sina, Baidu and Tencent - said they will target fake information with advanced technology and invest in manpower to supervise online information.
In
response
,
three
main
Internet
companies
in
the
country
-
Sina
,
Baidu
and
Tencent
-
said
they
will
target
fake
information
with
advanced
technology
and
invest
in
manpower
to
supervise
online
information
.
Zhao Zhiguo, deputy director of the Telecommunications Administration under the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, said stricter self-management of websites will help banish online rumors.
Zhao
Zhiguo
,
deputy
director
of
the
Telecommunications
Administration
under
the
Ministry
of
Industry
and
Information
Technology
,
said
stricter
self-management
of
websites
will
help
banish
online
rumors
.
"Internet companies should take legal responsibility when operating their websites.
``
Internet
companies
should
take
legal
responsibility
when
operating
their
websites
.
They should not become a hotbed for rumors and provide opportunities for fake information," Zhao said, adding they will launch similar crackdowns to close illegal website companies and punish those responsible.
They
should
not
become
a
hotbed
for
rumors
and
provide
opportunities
for
fake
information
,
''
Zhao
said
,
adding
they
will
launch
similar
crackdowns
to
close
illegal
website
companies
and
punish
those
responsible
.
Currently, people who make or spread rumors related to terrorism and securities trading, or information affecting State security and companies' commercial reputations, will face criminal punishment.
Currently
,
people
who
make
or
spread
rumors
related
to
terrorism
and
securities
trading
,
or
information
affecting
State
security
and
companies
'
commercial
reputations
,
will
face
criminal
punishment
.
Liu Honghui, a Beijing lawyer specializing in online cases, said he welcomed the government's action to curb online rumors.
Liu
Honghui
,
a
Beijing
lawyer
specializing
in
online
cases
,
said
he
welcomed
the
government
's
action
to
curb
online
rumors
.
"Residents used online banks to shop or book flights, which needs a safe platform without fake information," he said.
``
Residents
used
online
banks
to
shop
or
book
flights
,
which
needs
a
safe
platform
without
fake
information
,
''
he
said
.
Yu Guofu, another lawyer from Sheng Feng Law Firm, said the key to reducing rumors is netizens themselves.
Yu
Guofu
,
another
lawyer
from
Sheng
Feng
Law
Firm
,
said
the
key
to
reducing
rumors
is
netizens
themselves
.
"If micro-bloggers think twice before forwarding information, rumors will decrease."
``
If
micro-bloggers
think
twice
before
forwarding
information
,
rumors
will
decrease
.
''
Authorities will continue to take a hard line on Internet-based rumors and punish those creating fake information, a senior official said on Thursday.  Authorities have removed more than 210,000 online posts and shut down 42 websites since mid-March in their latest crackdown on online rumors, said Liu Zhengrong, a senior official with the State Internet Information Office.  Fake information or rumors spread through the Internet, especially on micro blogs, have harmed social order and residents' daily lives, he said at a news briefing in Beijing.  Before the crackdown, six people who allegedly fabricated rumors about "military vehicles entering Beijing" had been detained and 16 websites closed for  fake online information, according to police authorities.  "What we've done and will do is to make sure residents can know what they want to know, say what they think and supervise our management in a reliable and useful network environment," Liu said.  Liu disagreed that the Internet can police itself against rumors, and told China Daily that some netizens can't distinguish truth from fiction, "requiring government departments and website companies to take measures".  On Monday, the Internet Society of China posted a proposal calling on Internet companies and websites to strengthen self-discipline and prevent the spread of online rumors.  In response, three main Internet companies in the country - Sina, Baidu and Tencent - said they will target fake information with advanced technology and invest in manpower to supervise online information.  Zhao Zhiguo, deputy director of the Telecommunications Administration under the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, said stricter self-management of websites will help banish online rumors.  "Internet companies should take legal responsibility when operating their websites. They should not become a hotbed for rumors and provide opportunities for fake information," Zhao said, adding they will launch similar crackdowns to close illegal website companies and punish those responsible.  Currently, people who make or spread rumors related to terrorism and securities trading, or information affecting State security and companies' commercial reputations, will face criminal punishment.  Liu Honghui, a Beijing lawyer specializing in online cases, said he welcomed the government's action to curb online rumors.  "Residents used online banks to shop or book flights, which needs a safe platform without fake information," he said.  Yu Guofu, another lawyer from Sheng Feng Law Firm, said the key to reducing rumors is netizens themselves.  "If micro-bloggers think twice before forwarding information, rumors will decrease."