https://www.scmp.com/rss/501988/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Information technology companies are focused on providing reliable information and stymying Russian propaganda about the invasion of Ukraine, the CEO of Google and Alphabet Inc said Tuesday. Sundar Pichai met with Poland’s Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki in Warsaw to discuss ways of aiding the people of war-torn Ukraine. “We are also working to make sure that trustworthy and helpful information gets to people through our products,” Pichai said after the meeting. Social media apps in China ban... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3172337/google-chief-says-search-giant-working-provide-ukraine-reliable?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3172337/google-chief-says-search-giant-working-provide-ukraine-reliable?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 30 Mar 2022 03:00:26 +0000 With sanctions on Russia ramping up following its invasion of Ukraine, Google’s YouTube is under pressure to remove or cut commercial ties with some of its most prolific pro-Russian channels. The online video giant has a massive reach in Russia and has long been a popular platform for both government critics and state-backed media. But now officials in the US, the UK and Europe are discussing restrictions that could target groups and people with huge audiences on the platform, creating a dilemma... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3168333/googles-youtube-could-be-ensnared-sanctions-pro-russia-figures-who?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3168333/googles-youtube-could-be-ensnared-sanctions-pro-russia-figures-who?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Feb 2022 03:30:24 +0000 Misinformation focused on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine flooded social media conversations Thursday, from pro-Kremlin conspiracies spreading across Telegram to videos described as live attacks proliferating on Facebook’s gaming platform. The top videos on Facebook Gaming were described as footage of live attacks on Ukraine by Russia, some complete with red “breaking news” banners. But the clips were actually gameplay from the military-themed video game Arma 3. Meanwhile, more than 100 channels on... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3168330/facebook-and-telegram-become-tools-russia-themed-misinformation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3168330/facebook-and-telegram-become-tools-russia-themed-misinformation?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Feb 2022 02:38:46 +0000 Chinese short video app TikTok has restored the account of a Russian state news agency after Moscow intervened when the account was blocked over the weekend, highlighting the social media platform’s increasing influence that has led to heightened scrutiny in multiple countries. The social network, owned by Beijing-based ByteDance, blocked the account for RIA Novosti and removed a video of a Ukrainian regional leader calling for evacuation on Saturday. The account remained down for most of the... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3167797/tiktok-said-restore-russian-media-account-video-ukraine-crisis-after?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3167797/tiktok-said-restore-russian-media-account-video-ukraine-crisis-after?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Feb 2022 09:00:10 +0000 Chinese and Russian media are systematically seeking to sow mistrust in Western Covid-19 vaccines in their latest disinformation campaigns aimed at dividing the West, a European Union report said on Wednesday. From December to April, the two countries’ state media outlets pushed fake news online in multiple languages sensationalising vaccine safety concerns, making unfounded links between jabs and deaths in Europe and promoting Russian and Chinese vaccines as superior, the EU study said. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3131501/coronavirus-china-and-russia-sow-disinformation-undermine-trust?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3131501/coronavirus-china-and-russia-sow-disinformation-undermine-trust?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Apr 2021 18:54:00 +0000 American broadcasters must start disclosing programmes sponsored or paid for by a foreign government such as China or Russia, the US communications watchdog said on Thursday. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) said any radio or television station must make it clear at the beginning and end of programmes when a specific country or political party has sponsored the content it broadcasts. The identification should be made on television or spoken audibly on radio. For programmes longer... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3130716/us-federal-communications-commission-rules-broadcasters-must?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3130716/us-federal-communications-commission-rules-broadcasters-must?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Apr 2021 17:10:19 +0000 Twitter has removed 23,750 China-backed accounts in the latest move to combat disinformation campaigns on its platform – a number far greater than those from other countries such as Russia and Turkey. The US social media platform on Friday said 1,152 Russian-linked accounts and at least 7,340 Turkish government-linked accounts were also removed. These accounts spread deceptive or political narratives favorable to the incumbent governments. The step follows the removal of 936 China-backed Twitter... https://www.scmp.com/culture/twitter-quashes-accounts-tied-chinese-disinformation-campaign/article/3088742?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/culture/twitter-quashes-accounts-tied-chinese-disinformation-campaign/article/3088742?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Jun 2020 21:00:11 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS After Twitter shut down what it calls a Beijing-backed disinformation operation by banning more than 170,000 accounts, China has responded with a piece of curious advice.  Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told reporters during a briefing on Friday that Twitter should shut down accounts that smear China if it wants to fight disinformation, Reuters reported. Hua said that many platforms had falsehoods about China and that there was a... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/news-bites/article/3088848/china-wants-twitter-shut-down-accounts-smear-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/news-bites/article/3088848/china-wants-twitter-shut-down-accounts-smear-china?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Jun 2020 10:48:54 +0000 After Twitter shut down what it calls a Beijing-backed disinformation operation by banning more than 170,000 accounts, China has responded with a piece of curious advice.  Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told reporters during a briefing on Friday that Twitter should shut down accounts that smear China if it wants to fight disinformation, Reuters reported. Hua said that many platforms had falsehoods about China and that there was a need for Chinese voices with objective views.... https://www.scmp.com/china-tech-city/china-wants-twitter-shut-down-accounts-smear-china/article/3088844?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/china-tech-city/china-wants-twitter-shut-down-accounts-smear-china/article/3088844?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Jun 2020 10:48:52 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS As China grapples with face mask shortages as a result of the coronavirus epidemic, some places are live streaming medical mask production -- and people are tuning in. The latest company to join is state-owned oil and gas giant Sinopec, which live-streamed the production of fabric used for face masks for a full 48 hours over the weekend. The live stream took place at the subsidiary company Yanshan Petrochemical Company, with state media reporting that... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/news-bites/article/3074232/chinese-factory-live-streams-face-mask-material-production-amid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/news-bites/article/3074232/chinese-factory-live-streams-face-mask-material-production-amid?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2020 06:41:16 +0000 As China grapples with face mask shortages as a result of the coronavirus epidemic, some places are live streaming medical mask production -- and people are tuning in. The latest company to join is state-owned oil and gas giant Sinopec, which live-streamed the production of fabric used for face masks for a full 48 hours over the weekend. The live stream took place at the subsidiary company Yanshan Petrochemical Company, with state media reporting that the broadcast reached 260,000 views by... https://www.scmp.com/china-tech-city/chinese-factory-live-streams-face-mask-material-production-amid-coronavirus-shortages/article/3074211?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/china-tech-city/chinese-factory-live-streams-face-mask-material-production-amid-coronavirus-shortages/article/3074211?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2020 06:41:15 +0000 China has suggested that it will retaliate against the United States for reducing the number of Chinese nationals allowed to work in the US offices of major Chinese state-owned media organizations. Hua Chunying, the head of the Chinese Foreign Ministry’s information department, on Tuesday condemned the Trump administration’s restrictions on five Chinese state-run media outlets that will result in the effective expulsion of dozens of Chinese journalists from the US. “Now the US kicked off the... https://www.scmp.com/politics/china-signals-retaliation-us-government-restricts-employment-5-state-media-companies/article/3064727?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/politics/china-signals-retaliation-us-government-restricts-employment-5-state-media-companies/article/3064727?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2020 11:10:08 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS While trawling through WeChat looking for ways to protect myself against the deadly new coronavirus plaguing China, I received a piece of advice: Drink vinegar. And that’s not all. It seems the social network is full of ways to stay protected, like remaining positive (“think of three things you are grateful for”) and avoiding caffeine (“coffee is pure acid”). With the death toll of the novel coronavirus that originated in Wuhan climbing past 200 and... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/tech/article/3048642/china-arresting-people-coronavirus-fake-news?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/tech/article/3048642/china-arresting-people-coronavirus-fake-news?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 Feb 2020 00:00:16 +0000 While trawling through WeChat looking for ways to protect myself against the deadly new coronavirus plaguing China, I received a piece of advice: Drink vinegar. And that’s not all. It seems the social network is full of ways to stay protected, like remaining positive (“think of three things you are grateful for”) and avoiding caffeine (“coffee is pure acid”). With the death toll of the novel coronavirus that originated in Wuhan climbing past 200 and infection rates surpassing those during the... https://www.scmp.com/tech/china-arresting-people-coronavirus-fake-news/article/3048400?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/china-arresting-people-coronavirus-fake-news/article/3048400?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 Feb 2020 00:00:14 +0000 Chinese diplomacy has found a new voice on Twitter -- and it’s not entirely diplomatic. The communist government has recently embraced the social media platform -- despite blocking it within China -- deploying its foreign ministry and a growing army of diplomats to tout or defend its policies to a global audience. One diplomat posts artistic selfies in Nepal, China’s envoy in South Africa quotes Western poetry alongside pictures of sunsets and wildlife, while ambassador to Britain Liu Xiaoming... https://www.scmp.com/culture/chinese-officials-twitter-adopt-confrontational-style/article/3045987?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/culture/chinese-officials-twitter-adopt-confrontational-style/article/3045987?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Jan 2020 07:14:54 +0000 Chinese President Xi Jinping is the kind of president who does not mind eating his dinner on the train and who shuns luxurious accommodation, according to the latest state media reports designed to portray him as a thrifty and frugal leader. The report by state news agency Xinhua published on Monday depicted him as a man who would spend his birthday working and personally intervened to ensure that meals in honor were not too extravagant. The report was also intended to reinforce the message to... https://www.scmp.com/politics/chinese-state-media-report-extols-president-xi-jinpings-frugal-style/article/3044994?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/politics/chinese-state-media-report-extols-president-xi-jinpings-frugal-style/article/3044994?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Jan 2020 10:34:31 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS After nearly seven months of protests in Hong Kong, the image of a “typical” protester in the movement has become instantly recognizable: Black garb, yellow hardhat, tear gas mask and maybe a petrol bomb in hand. The look is easy enough to replicate. So much so that gamers are now doing it in Grand Theft Auto V Online. With the new Diamond Casino Heist update adding more clothing items to the game, players found that they can put together an outfit that... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/games/article/3043211/hong-kong-protesters-and-mainland-gamers-clash-grand-theft-auto-v?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/games/article/3043211/hong-kong-protesters-and-mainland-gamers-clash-grand-theft-auto-v?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Dec 2019 04:45:34 +0000 After nearly seven months of protests in Hong Kong, the image of a “typical” protester in the movement has become instantly recognizable: Black garb, yellow hardhat, tear gas mask and maybe a petrol bomb in hand. The look is easy enough to replicate. So much so that gamers are now doing it in Grand Theft Auto V Online. With the new Diamond Casino Heist update adding more clothing items to the game, players found that they can put together an outfit that makes them look a lot like a Hong Kong... https://www.scmp.com/games/hong-kong-protesters-and-mainland-gamers-clash-grand-theft-auto-v-online/article/3042959?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/games/hong-kong-protesters-and-mainland-gamers-clash-grand-theft-auto-v-online/article/3042959?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Dec 2019 04:45:32 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS If you ever find yourself browsing Twitter these days, you might stumble across actress Keira Nightley obsessively sharing news about China. But not really Keira Knightley. It could be a bot using her photo as a profile picture. This is just one of the signs that a Twitter account is fake and possibly part of a disinformation campaign, according to researchers. This is what happened with state-backed campaigns from Russia during the 2016 US election... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/tech/article/3041354/chinese-twitter-bots-are-clearly-fake-they-might-still-be-influential?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/tech/article/3041354/chinese-twitter-bots-are-clearly-fake-they-might-still-be-influential?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Dec 2019 02:00:19 +0000 If you ever find yourself browsing Twitter these days, you might stumble across actress Keira Knightley obsessively sharing news about China. But not really Keira Knightley. It could be a bot using her photo as a profile picture. This is just one of the signs that a Twitter account is fake and possibly part of a disinformation campaign, according to researchers. This is what happened with state-backed campaigns from Russia during the 2016 US election and China during the ongoing anti-government... https://www.scmp.com/tech/chinese-twitter-bots-are-clearly-fake-they-might-still-be-influential/article/3041294?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/chinese-twitter-bots-are-clearly-fake-they-might-still-be-influential/article/3041294?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Dec 2019 02:00:17 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS It looks like there’s another Twitter bot campaign in the making, but it's not targeting US elections this time. Instead, it’s primarily focused on the region of Xinjiang in western China, where UN experts say that over a million people are being held in detention camps. A researcher from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) says she found a “massive spambot network in the making” that’s trying to influence Twitter discussions on the issue.... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/tech/article/3040686/new-swarm-pro-china-twitter-bots-spreads-disinformation-about-xinjiang?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/tech/article/3040686/new-swarm-pro-china-twitter-bots-spreads-disinformation-about-xinjiang?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Dec 2019 02:00:21 +0000 It looks like there’s another Twitter bot campaign in the making, but it's not targeting US elections this time. Instead, it’s primarily focused on the region of Xinjiang in western China, where UN experts say that over a million people are being held in detention camps. A researcher from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) says she found a “massive spambot network in the making” that’s trying to influence Twitter discussions on the issue. And strangely, they appear inclined to... https://www.scmp.com/tech/new-swarm-pro-china-twitter-bots-spreads-disinformation-about-xinjiang/article/3040559?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/new-swarm-pro-china-twitter-bots-spreads-disinformation-about-xinjiang/article/3040559?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Dec 2019 02:00:20 +0000 China’s Communist Party aims to enlist online influencers – from make-up tutors to stunt performers – into its cause through its main outreach arm, the United Front Work Department. Cadres from the department as well as cyber administration officials and propaganda cadres from across the country met in Beijing on Thursday for the first time to discuss ways to co-opt influencers, party newspaper People’s Daily reported. Department head You Quan said that working with online influencers was now a... https://www.scmp.com/culture/china-wants-influencers-help-promote-communist-partys-message/article/3039858?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/culture/china-wants-influencers-help-promote-communist-partys-message/article/3039858?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 Nov 2019 02:44:47 +0000 The Chinese government has tried to brush aside a historic election win by Hong Kong’s pro-democracy camp by downplaying the results in news reports and preventing internet users from talking about it.  Pro-Beijing politicians suffered a bitter defeat in Sunday’s district council elections, losing most of the seats they previously held to rivals who campaigned on their support for the monthslong anti-government protests. About 57% of the voters backed pro-democracy candidates, most of whom... https://www.scmp.com/politics/chinese-state-media-downplayed-pro-democracy-win-hong-kong-district-election/article/3039397?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/politics/chinese-state-media-downplayed-pro-democracy-win-hong-kong-district-election/article/3039397?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 Nov 2019 09:11:35 +0000 Someday, perhaps soon, Xi Jinping and Donald Trump will sign an agreement resolving the US-China trade war. But the trade dispute has exposed more fundamental cleavages between China and the community of democratic nations. The most important clashes between China and the West concern not soybean exports nor the protection of patents, but free expression and open inquiry. Nowhere are those clashes taking place more vigorously than on university campuses. Consider the case of Nathan Law, the Hong... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/why-universities-must-push-back-against-chinese-government-influence/article/3037658?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/why-universities-must-push-back-against-chinese-government-influence/article/3037658?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 Nov 2019 09:31:49 +0000 Facebook said on Tuesday that it would step up efforts to counter disinformation and state-backed influence operations ahead of the Taiwanese presidential election in January. The authorities on the self-ruled island have reported an average of 30 million cross-border cyberattacks each month this year, with a sizeable number from the Chinese mainland suspected of trying to affect the result of the election. Earlier this year Facebook, along with other tech giants such as Twitter and Google,... https://www.scmp.com/culture/facebook-fights-state-backed-influence-campaign-taiwan-election-looms/article/3036494?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/culture/facebook-fights-state-backed-influence-campaign-taiwan-election-looms/article/3036494?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 Nov 2019 04:00:09 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS If you happen to be a member of the Communist Party and find yourself forgetting why you joined in the first place, China is now keeping a permanent reminder on a blockchain. A new app allows members of the Communist Party to pledge their loyalty to the Party by writing down the reasons they joined, and answers will be stored on a permanent distributed ledger using blockchain technology. This way a person’s party loyalty will stay recorded in cyberspace... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/culture/article/3035406/people-can-pledge-loyalty-communist-party-china-blockchain?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/culture/article/3035406/people-can-pledge-loyalty-communist-party-china-blockchain?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 30 Oct 2019 09:34:25 +0000 If you happen to be a member of the Communist Party and find yourself forgetting why you joined in the first place, China is now keeping a permanent reminder on a blockchain. A new app allows members of the Communist Party to pledge their loyalty to the Party by writing down the reasons they joined, and answers will be stored on a permanent distributed ledger using blockchain technology. This way a person’s party loyalty will stay recorded in cyberspace forever. The platform is called Lian Shang... https://www.scmp.com/culture/people-can-pledge-loyalty-communist-party-china-blockchain/article/3035159?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/culture/people-can-pledge-loyalty-communist-party-china-blockchain/article/3035159?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 29 Oct 2019 12:04:09 +0000 For a country obsessed with battle royale games, you’d think that EA’s decision to bring Apex Legends to China would be celebrated. They’re even making a mobile version in a country dominated by smartphone gamers. That’s good news, right? Well, not necessarily.   Rather than celebrating EA's announcement, many Chinese gamers have been jeering the announcement online. “For the Chinese version of the game, I think a good name is ‘Peace One Belt One Road Legends.’ Does this have enough socialist... https://www.scmp.com/digital-life/gamers-bracing-apex-legends-be-censored-china/article/3009700?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/digital-life/gamers-bracing-apex-legends-be-censored-china/article/3009700?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 May 2019 14:18:15 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS For a country obsessed with battle royale games, you’d think that EA’s decision to bring Apex Legends to China would be celebrated. They’re even making a mobile version in a country dominated by smartphone gamers. That’s good news, right? Well, not necessarily. How Fortnite and PUBG made battle royale the hottest trend in gaming Rather than celebrating EA's announcement, many Chinese gamers have been jeering the announcement online. “For the Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/culture/article/3029344/gamers-bracing-apex-legends-be-censored-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/culture/article/3029344/gamers-bracing-apex-legends-be-censored-china?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 May 2019 14:18:15 +0000 When China wants to promote a political initiative, they make a song about it. Even if it’s about something as mundane as, er, creditworthiness. A new three-and-a-half-minute video titled “Live Up to Your Word” features five pop stars singing about how to achieve good social credit. It was produced by state-run newspaper China Youth Daily and Tencent-owned Kugou Music under the guidance of the Communist Youth League. The singers are put in a range of scenarios to demonstrate how to be a... https://www.scmp.com/digital-life/china-made-music-video-about-trustworthiness-promote-social-credit-system/article/3008750?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/digital-life/china-made-music-video-about-trustworthiness-promote-social-credit-system/article/3008750?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 May 2019 12:37:21 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS When China wants to promote a political initiative, they make a song about it. Even if it’s about something as mundane as, er, creditworthiness. A new three-and-a-half-minute video titled “Live Up to Your Word” features five pop stars singing about how to achieve good social credit. It was produced by state-run newspaper China Youth Daily and Tencent-owned Kugou Music under the guidance of the Communist Youth League. The singers are put in a range of... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/culture/article/3029328/china-made-music-video-about-trustworthiness-promote-social-credit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/culture/article/3029328/china-made-music-video-about-trustworthiness-promote-social-credit?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 May 2019 12:37:21 +0000 Despite its reach, Chinese Communist Party propaganda is impressively boring: It's long, opaque and full of incomprehensible formulas. So how does one make it more palatable to young minds? Package it into an app, of course. A new propaganda tool, with a name that literally translates to “Learn new ideas, be a good successor,” focuses on submerging young minds into the political doctrine of Chinese president Xi Jinping. The app’s content is aimed at kids from primary school to high school with... https://www.scmp.com/digital-life/china-now-has-communist-propaganda-app-kids/article/3005363?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/digital-life/china-now-has-communist-propaganda-app-kids/article/3005363?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Apr 2019 14:19:54 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS Despite its reach, Chinese Communist Party propaganda is impressively boring: It's long, opaque and full of incomprehensible formulas. So how does one make it more palatable to young minds? Package it into an app, of course. A new propaganda tool, with a name that literally translates to “Learn new ideas, be a good successor,” focuses on submerging young minds into the political doctrine of Chinese president Xi Jinping. The app’s content is aimed at... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/culture/article/3029273/china-now-has-communist-propaganda-app-kids?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/culture/article/3029273/china-now-has-communist-propaganda-app-kids?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Apr 2019 14:19:54 +0000