China's Social Media Clean-up: Over 1.4 Million Posts Deleted in Extensive Two-Month Probe

In a significant move to maintain control over online platforms, China's Cyberspace Administration (CAC) has recently conducted a comprehensive investigation resulting in the deletion of approximately 1.4 million social media posts. The probe, which took place from March 10 to May 22, specifically targeted various issues, including the spread of misinformation, illegal profiteering, and the impersonation of state officials. This latest campaign is part of China's ongoing efforts to cleanse its cyberspace and enhance regulatory measures.

The crackdown primarily focused on popular Chinese social media applications like WeChat, Douyin, and Weibo. The targeted accounts, known as "self-media," refer to non-governmental and non-state-approved accounts that share news and information. These accounts often face scrutiny and potential censorship when sharing sensitive or critical content related to the Communist Party, the government, or the military.

As a result of the investigation, 67,000 social media accounts were permanently closed, and hundreds of thousands of posts were removed. Among the closed accounts, nearly 8,000 were eliminated for spreading fake news, rumors, and harmful information, while approximately 930,000 accounts faced milder penalties such as the removal of followers, temporary suspensions, or the revocation of profit-making privileges.

In a separate move, the CAC also shut down over 100,000 accounts that misrepresented news anchors and media agencies to combat the rising threat of AI-enabled fake news coverage. This action aimed to counter the dissemination of false information and ensure greater authenticity in the online news landscape.

The recent campaign by the CAC also targeted around 13,000 counterfeit military accounts and 25,000 accounts impersonating public institutions. Additionally, 187,000 accounts were implicated in impersonating news media businesses, while over 430,000 accounts were flagged for offering professional advice or educational services without appropriate qualifications. Furthermore, approximately 45,000 accounts were closed for engaging in activities such as hyping controversial topics, seeking attention, and illegal monetization.

The CAC highlighted its collaboration with public security and market supervision departments during the crackdown on illegal "self-media." The administration encouraged internet users to actively participate in monitoring and reporting illegal activities, urging them to provide relevant information to help maintain a clean and regulated online environment.