China's cyberspace authorities crack down on self-media for inaccurate source attribution

China's cyberspace authorities have recently urged online platforms to penalize 3,704 self-media accounts for failing to properly identify the sources of information in posts about domestic and international current affairs, according to the country's top cyberspace regulator on Monday.

The Cyberspace Administration of China stated in a news release that more than 48,000 short videos with missing or inaccurate source labels were corrected following recent inspections. Self-media accounts refer to independently operated online accounts run by individuals or organizations outside established news outlets.

The inspections revealed that some self-media accounts had reposted, compiled, or edited current affairs content without clearly identifying its original source, confusing audiences and seriously misleading public understanding. Some accounts on short video-sharing platforms like Douyin and Kuaishou directly reposted or simply compiled information about international affairs without providing source attribution, making it impossible for users to trace the content to its original source. These accounts were handled by the platforms in accordance with laws and platform rules.

Other accounts on platforms such as Sina Weibo and Kuaishou used vague descriptions like "online reports", "tips from internet users", and "foreign media reports" when posting domestic and international news. The regulator noted that such wording was used to evade content reviews, making it difficult for users to assess the authenticity of the information.

The release emphasized that proper source attribution is a basic requirement for ensuring that online information is accurate, credible, and traceable. It urged self-media creators to uphold the authenticity of their content, comply with operational rules, clearly and accurately identify information sources, and take responsibility for the material they publish.

Online platforms were also asked to continue improving source-labeling functions and establish long-term mechanisms to ensure that information requiring attribution is properly labeled.