Advertisement
WeChat and Weibo ordered to clean up publishing “chaos”
China’s so-called “self-media” under fire by authorities
Reading Time:2 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
This article originally appeared on ABACUS
Social networks like WeChat and Weibo have generated an online content boom in China -- anyone can set up an account and share their thoughts with a wide audience. Now authorities want to slow it down.
The Cyberspace Administration of China said yesterday that authorities have shut down more than 9,800 social media publishing accounts in a special clean-up operation, beginning in late October.
WeChat and Weibo, two of the most popular social networks in China, were both given “serious warnings” about the “chaos” caused by their lack of management, the statement says.
How Weibo became China’s most popular blogging platform
The statement says that the scrubbed accounts allegedly include those that spread “politically harmful” information, fabricate rumors with sensational headlines, spread vulgar and pornographic content, and engage in extortion and plagiarism.
Advertisement
Just like Facebook in the West, social networks have become a primary news source for internet users in China. WeChat, for example, has over 10 million public accounts that regularly publish content on the platform. Some of them are established news organizations, and some are referred to as “self-media” -- individuals and amateurs that publish only on these social networks.
Advertisement
State media have repeatedly lashed out at “self-media” during the campaign. State-owned Legal Daily reported last week that some regularly blackmail companies with threats of bad press, asking for as much as millions of yuan (hundreds of thousands of US dollars).
Advertisement
Select Voice
Choose your listening speed
Get through articles 2x faster
1.25x
250 WPM
Slow
Average
Fast
1.25x