China's Cyberspace Administration Punishes 98,000 Self-Media Accounts for Uncited Sources
China's Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission recently sanctioned 98,000 self-media accounts. The crackdown stems from accounts failing to properly cite information sources, misleading the public, and disrupting the online ecosystem, targeting content on topics like the US-Iran conflict and domestic public policy.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: May 3, 2026 at 17:11
- 🔍 Collected: May 3, 2026 at 17:31 (20 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 3, 2026 at 17:34 (2 min after Collected)
Central News Agency
(Central News Agency, Taipei, May 3) China's Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission recently launched a major crackdown on online self-media accounts. Citing reasons such as "failure to standardize the labeling of information sources, misleading public perception, and disrupting the online ecosystem," it dealt with 98,000 self-media accounts, covering content related to the US-Iran conflict, China's domestic public policy, and other issues. Conventionally, these self-media accounts will face penalties such as deleting short videos, prohibiting publication, restricting interaction with netizens, and even account suspension.
According to reports from Xinhua News Agency and Jiemian News, the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission stated that recently, some self-media accounts, when publishing information involving current affairs, "failed to standardize the labeling of information (information) sources, misled public perception, and disrupted the online ecosystem." This includes failing to label sources for domestic and international current events, public policies, and social incidents, failing to indicate AI-generated content, and failing to state "fictional dramatization."
The Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission also listed several types of self-media accounts that were punished. Among them, prominent accounts like "Jin Shuo" and "Junwu—Shiji" involved international current affairs information such as the US-Iran conflict but did not cite information sources, making it difficult for the public to trace the original source of the news and verify its authenticity. The commission stated that the accounts involved had been "dealt with according to law and regulations," but did not specify the exact methods of punishment.
Furthermore, self-media accounts such as "Nongmin Dajie" (Farmer's Elder Sister) and "Qinghua Yuma" (Tsinghua Fish Mother) published information related to public policies in areas like agriculture, rural affairs, education, and elderly care without citing information sources. This prevented the public from obtaining accurate and complete authoritative information, potentially leading to "misunderstandings" of policies based on "fragmented content." These related accounts have also been dealt with according to law and regulations.
In addition, self-media accounts like "Ma Rui Zai Nongcun" (Ma Rui in the Countryside) and "Jiayou Jiayi" (Go, Jiayi) used methods such as "staged shooting and fictional plots" to publish content depicting delivery riders being discriminated against, conflicts between mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law, intergenerational conflicts, unsupervised minors, and the beautification of rural areas, without indicating "fictional dramatization." They used these opportunities to gain traffic, portray negative emotions through negative narratives, and stir up group conflicts. These accounts were also dealt with according to law and regulations.
The Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission stated that cyberspace departments will "guide" all platforms to comprehensively standardize the labeling of short video content and optimize labeling functions, making labeling a mandatory step in short video publication. (Editors: Chiu Kuo-chiang/Lu Chia-jung) 1150503
Choose to stand with facts, every sponsorship you make is the power to protect press freedom.
Download the Central News Agency's "First-hand News" APP to stay updated with the latest news in real-time.
Text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcasted, or publicly transmitted and used without authorization.
(Central News Agency, Taipei, May 3) China's Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission recently launched a major crackdown on online self-media accounts. Citing reasons such as "failure to standardize the labeling of information sources, misleading public perception, and disrupting the online ecosystem," it dealt with 98,000 self-media accounts, covering content related to the US-Iran conflict, China's domestic public policy, and other issues. Conventionally, these self-media accounts will face penalties such as deleting short videos, prohibiting publication, restricting interaction with netizens, and even account suspension.
According to reports from Xinhua News Agency and Jiemian News, the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission stated that recently, some self-media accounts, when publishing information involving current affairs, "failed to standardize the labeling of information (information) sources, misled public perception, and disrupted the online ecosystem." This includes failing to label sources for domestic and international current events, public policies, and social incidents, failing to indicate AI-generated content, and failing to state "fictional dramatization."
The Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission also listed several types of self-media accounts that were punished. Among them, prominent accounts like "Jin Shuo" and "Junwu—Shiji" involved international current affairs information such as the US-Iran conflict but did not cite information sources, making it difficult for the public to trace the original source of the news and verify its authenticity. The commission stated that the accounts involved had been "dealt with according to law and regulations," but did not specify the exact methods of punishment.
Furthermore, self-media accounts such as "Nongmin Dajie" (Farmer's Elder Sister) and "Qinghua Yuma" (Tsinghua Fish Mother) published information related to public policies in areas like agriculture, rural affairs, education, and elderly care without citing information sources. This prevented the public from obtaining accurate and complete authoritative information, potentially leading to "misunderstandings" of policies based on "fragmented content." These related accounts have also been dealt with according to law and regulations.
In addition, self-media accounts like "Ma Rui Zai Nongcun" (Ma Rui in the Countryside) and "Jiayou Jiayi" (Go, Jiayi) used methods such as "staged shooting and fictional plots" to publish content depicting delivery riders being discriminated against, conflicts between mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law, intergenerational conflicts, unsupervised minors, and the beautification of rural areas, without indicating "fictional dramatization." They used these opportunities to gain traffic, portray negative emotions through negative narratives, and stir up group conflicts. These accounts were also dealt with according to law and regulations.
The Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission stated that cyberspace departments will "guide" all platforms to comprehensively standardize the labeling of short video content and optimize labeling functions, making labeling a mandatory step in short video publication. (Editors: Chiu Kuo-chiang/Lu Chia-jung) 1150503
Choose to stand with facts, every sponsorship you make is the power to protect press freedom.
Download the Central News Agency's "First-hand News" APP to stay updated with the latest news in real-time.
Text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcasted, or publicly transmitted and used without authorization.