China increasing efforts to rid the internet of misleading information and rumors, more than 100,000 online identities that misrepresented news anchors and media companies have been closed in the previous month.
A special drive to purge online content was started by the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), and focused on social media accounts that spread false information and pose as state-run media.
China Removes Hundred Thousands Of Accounts
According to the regulator, fake news content has been removed from 107,000 accounts of fake news individuals and organizations since April 6.
The cleanup takes place as China and other nations battle an internet false news onslaught, with many enacting legislation to punish offenders.
Chinese social media platforms, including Twitter-like Weibo, promote topic hashtags created by state media while restricting hashtags on issues or situations deemed sensitive by Beijing, even if they go viral. Thus, news broadcasting on these networks is already subject to rigorous regulations.
The CAC claims that the results of its investigation revealed accounts that had impersonated respectable news presenters and news studio settings while using artificial intelligence (AI) to create phony anchors in order to deceive the public.
According to a statement the CAC published on its website on Monday, fake news frequently covered trending themes such as social crises and global current affairs.
Read more: China Jails Former Veteran Advocate Who Had Close Connections With Senior Chinese Officials
Crackdown on Fake News, Malicious Comments, and AI-generated Content
The Chinese government has regularly issued broad directives to rid the internet of language and content that it judged offensive, inappropriate, and risky for the general public and businesses.
The CAC recently pledged to remove offensive internet comments that damage the reputations of businesses and entrepreneurs.
An additional layer of caution has been added by new generative AI technology like ChatGPT.
Recently, a guy was arrested in China’s Gansu province on suspicion of creating a railway disaster story while using ChatGPT.
While some have applauded the crackdown on fake news social media accounts for their ability to combat disinformation, others are concerned about the effects on free speech and the free flow of information.
The closing of accounts, according to critics, might potentially be used as a tool to silence dissident opinions and stifle opposing points of view, strengthening the government’s grip over public debate.
Read more: Artificial Intelligence: A Potential Threat To Democratic Elections?
