Beijing police paying greater attention to cyberspace

Beijing police are paying greater attention to cybersecurity by fighting various internet-related offenses in 2020, with detention of more than 6,000 suspects, the Municipal Public Security Bureau said on Thursday.

The intensified fight aimed to provide a safer online environment for netizens and to further safeguard national security, according to the bureau.

Last year, police officers across the city removed more than 39 million pieces of harmful information online and closed 7.8 million illegal online accounts last year in a move to keep cyberspace in order, it said.

Considering many students had to have classes at home amid the COVID-19 outbreak, the capital's police conducted special inspections on some major internet industries in 2020, including those on educational applications, online classes providers and livestreaming platforms, it said, adding 169 relevant service suppliers were given warnings and 181 others were ordered to rectify.

Additionally, more than 1,200 people have been detained for allegedly harming food and drug safety since 2020, it said.