Man detained for spreading false video about outbreak

A man was given 15-day administrative detention by police in Yunnan province on Thursday for falsifying videos of selling masks for the ongoing novel coronavirus outbreak on social media platforms.

The Public Security Bureau in Panlong district in Kunming, capital of Yunnan, issued a statement via its Weibo account saying residents reported the man surnamed Zhang was selling N95 masks he intercepted from a branch of SF Express, one of China's leading express delivery companies, through his WeChat account on Wednesday night.

Through investigation, the police found Zhang, 21, a jobless native from Gansu province, prepared to send parcels at the SF express branch in the district with his 18-year-old friend surnamed Miao on Wednesday afternoon.

While seeing packages of N95 masks ready for delivery from Kunming at the branch, Zhang recorded four videos via his mobile phone and made up a story, according to the statement.

He posted the videos on his WeChat, saying that he intercepted the masks from overseas and people could purchase them from him. The post was quickly shared on other social media platforms, including Sina Weibo, China's Twitter-like platform. It was thought to be shot by a SF Express delivery man by viewers and soon questioned by the public.

The police said Zhang's behavior has disturbed social order and the prevention and control of the novel coronavirus outbreak, so they decided to administratively detain him for 15 days.

In the statement, the police stressed people should post information and comments online based on facts and must abide by laws and rules. Those who disturb public order by forging facts, spreading rumors and posting fake messages in cyberspace will be strictly punished, it said.

SF Express also issued a statement, saying it has started an investigation on staff who didn't stop Zhang's recording. It will deal with the situation in line with the company's rules.