Shanghai cracking down on pandemic rumors

Shanghai will strengthen regulations covering online rumors and fake news this year, including those related to the pandemic such as misinformation about infected cases and wrong instructions about masks, the local Internet regulator said on Tuesday. 

Some rumors and fabricated content, which spread quickly and widely online, have threatened national security and social stability, as well as influencing every person, said Jiang Xun, director of the Cyberspace Administration of Shanghai.

In the first half, Shanghai’s regulation centers and websites received 2.8 million pieces of illegal or fake information from the public.

As a result, Shanghai launched a monthlong campaign on Internet content regulation on Wednesday involving city regulators, websites, doctors and volunteers.

It’s the second time Shanghai has held such an event, which offers citizens a “healthy” cyberspace, Jiang said.

As part of the campaign, Shanghai revealed details of 10 rumors in the first half of the year that were groundless. They include posts such as a “national mask removal schedule,” “new 3,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Shanghai” and “Shanghai medical teams are stolen in Wuhan.” 

All were false but liable to cause unnecessary panic and social chaos, speakers said at the launch. 

Meanwhile, new formats such as cartoons and animations are being used in Shanghai to refute rumors, regulators said.