China fights illicit activities on social media

BEIJING - China has launched a campaign to crack down on illicit activities on social media, including spreading rumors or pornographic information.

More than 9,800 self-media accounts, referring to subscription-based accounts that are popular on WeChat, Weibo or news portals such as Toutiao, have been punished in the campaign that was launched on Oct. 20, said the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC).

The violations included defaming heroes, tarnishing the nation's image, spreading rumors and information that is sensational, lewd or pornographic, and blackmailing companies with media exposure, said the administration.

"Self-media should never be a place outside of judicial reach," said the CAC.

The CAC summoned social media platforms, including Tencent's WeChat and Sina Weibo, warning them against neglecting their duty of managing self-media on their platforms.

The CAC said the overhaul of self-media and its orderly development needs participation of the whole society, and supervision and public tip-offs on illegal and harmful information are welcome to safeguard a healthy cyberspace.