China launches 3-month campaign against illegal online news services

China's top cyberspace authority on Thursday announced a three-month special campaign to crack down on illegal online news services, including the dissemination of false news, as well as platforms conducting news interviews and releases without getting designated licenses.

According to a release on the official website of the Office of the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission, the campaign aims to further regulate internet news information service activities, enhance the influence of "mainstream news and public opinion," and create a clean cyberspace.

A spokesperson for the office was quoted by the release as saying that the special campaign will focus on addressing five prominent issues.

Firstly, the campaign will target the fabrication and dissemination of false and misleading news information and the use of exaggerated headlines that are seriously inconsistent with the content, according to the release.

Meanwhile, the malicious alteration, distortion, splicing, and forgery of news information that misleads the public will be cracked down.

Secondly, it will address the misuse of public opinion supervision as a pretext to interfere with the presentation or search results of news information through editing, publishing, reposting or deleting news, thereby extorting or coercing others into providing financial benefits or engaging in business cooperation for improper gains.

Thirdly, the campaign will crack down on the impersonation of news websites, newspapers, radio, and television institutions to illegally set up websites, register accounts, and publish information.

Fourthly, it will target the unauthorized or overstepped provision of internet news information collection, publication, and reposting.

That includes conducting news interviews and releasing news information without obtaining the necessary licenses for internet news information collection and publication services.