China cracks down on seeds of cyberbullying after suicides linked to online abuse

Online publishers must push awareness of online abuse, censor comments in advance and cut off live broadcasts containing violent information

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Chinese government ministries and agencies have jointly issued regulations to crack down on cyber abuse, including that internet information providers must not serve anonymous users. Photo: AFP

Published: 7:00pm, 19 Jun 2024

Four Chinese government departments have issued regulations to crack down on cyber violence from its earliest stages, after victims in a number of cases took their own lives.

China’s top internet watchdog, the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), published regulations aimed at tackling cyberbullying on its website on Friday.

The regulations, which were jointly issued by the CAC and the Ministry of Public Security, the National Radio and Television Administration and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, will take effect in August.

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They reaffirm the requirement for internet users to be identified by their real names and asked internet information service providers – such as the parent companies of social media and newsfeed platforms – not to provide services to anonymous users.

The rules also call for online news publishers to promote public awareness of online abuse, censor comments in advance and cut off live broadcasts containing violent information. Publishers must immediately correct any news related to cyber violence that is “untrue” or “unfair”, according to the provisions.

Online abuse of minors will receive special attention and priority under the new rules.

The regulations refer to cyber violence as “text, images, audio and video” that are “insulting, slanderous, defamatory, inciting hatred, threatening, violating privacy, and ridiculing, degrading and discriminating against others, affecting their physical and mental health”.

In a follow-up statement on Sunday, the CAC said the regulations were in response to proposals made by delegates during the “two sessions” in March – the annual gathering of the National People’s Congress and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference.