China arrests over 1,500 for illegal acts related to cyberspace rumors

BEIJING -- China has arrested over 1,500 suspects for starting or spreading online rumors since the start of a crackdown campaign in December 2023, according to the Ministry of Public Security.

Public security organs across China have handled over 10,000 relevant cases and punished more than 10,700 individuals since the campaign started.

Police have investigated over 80,000 suspected rumors spread on the internet and publicly clarified over 4,200 instances of fake information, said the ministry.

The ministry has maintained a strong stance on starting rumors related to hot issues for the purposes of gauging views, cooking up plots by operators of social media accounts, and fabricating information about epidemic situations, emergencies and disasters.

Focusing on key platforms such as social media, live streaming and short videos, public organs have removed 735,000 pieces of fake information and shut down 63,000 accounts involving illegal acts, said the ministry.