Cyberspace body unveils drive to create better online ecosystem during holiday

The Cyberspace Administration of China announced on Sunday a one-month special campaign aimed at addressing phenomena undermining the "online ecosystem", including spreading false information and promoting vulgar content, in order to create a "joyous and harmonious" online atmosphere during the upcoming Spring Festival holiday.

China's eight-day Spring Festival holiday will begin on Jan 28.

According to a news release issued by the CAC, the special campaign will focus on addressing six key issues, including inciting extreme opposition, fabricating false information, promoting vulgar content and infringing on consumer rights.

Malicious attacks on Spring Festival customs and traditions, as well as content promoting regional discrimination or other prejudiced views, will also be prioritized for crackdown.

To tackle fabricated information, the campaign will focus on cracking down on online users impersonating delivery workers, couriers, and other groups to stage and fabricate false content.

It will also address the spread of rumors related to public policies, social issues, Spring Festival travel, and other topics, such as the causes, details, and developments of emergencies.

The use of AI tools to maliciously create false images or misleading social topics related to Spring Festival will also be one of the focuses of the campaign.

The release noted that such behaviors mislead internet users and causes negative impacts.

The CAC also outlined typical behaviors related to the promotion of vulgar content, such as the exploitative hype of celebrity gossip, internet celebrity scandals, and emotional rumors, as well as live streams that promote vulgarity or self-destructive tendencies.

Additionally, behaviors such as using live streams for indecent flirtation or harassment of passersby will be subject to crackdown.