Tencent: Suspension or permanent bans on WeChat accounts that spread rumours about the coronavirus outbreak

On Jan 25, Wechat Security Centre released an  “Announcement on the treatment of novel coronavirus pneumonia related rumours.” The public notice said the new Wuhan coronavirus was spreading in the country and raised extensive concern in the society. Simultaneously, various rumours and stories were spreading online, continuously inciting fear and causing panic. According to the Ninth Amendment to China’s Criminal Law, "Fabricating false reports of danger, epidemic, disasters or security alerts and transmitting them through information networks or other media, or clearly knowing that information is false information described above and intentionally transmitting it through the information networks or other media, seriously disturbing the social order, is sentenced by up to three years imprisonment, short-term detention or controlled release; where serious consequences are caused, the sentence is between three and seven years imprisonment."

WeChat will resolutely and continuously fight against the dissemination of false information. We have deployed third party specialists to eradicate posts of hearsay on our platforms. In accordance with the Agreement on Software License and Service of Tencent Weixin and the Standards of Weixin Account Usage, the offending accounts of these posts would be penalised by temporarily limiting account functions or permanent bans depending on the severity of the violation.

Wechat will establish a specialised task force for novel coronavirous-related rumours, and step up its authority. We will verify news sources and posts as well as refute unfounded assertions in real time. At the same time, we welcome users to report related rumours. Users should obtain updated information from trusted news sources, official disease control centres, medical centres, and the like. Reliable information on the epidemic can be found on official provincial and municipal websites. Do not trust rumours and become panicked. Please be vigilant. Identify rumours intelligently so that such falsehoods stop with you. 

Source: Sina News China
https://bit.ly/36vC4e5

 #ChineseCharacteristics #Wechat #CoronavirusOutbreak #Tencent

Cyberspace Administration of China: Already Held 30 Large IT Companies' Algorithm Technologies

Cyber Administration of China (#CAC) indicated on #Aug12 that 30 top IT companies have submitted part of their algorithm details, such as how to collect personal data and how to set up individual recommendation content. 

Companies includes #Tencent, #TikTok under #ByteDance, #MeiTuen, #iFeng, #Weibo, #Youku, #Kuaishou, #Baidu, #Sina, #Xiaomi, #WeChat, and #Tmall and #Taobao under #Alibaba.

#Bloomberg report stated that China can have full grasp of every move done by the citizens on the internet, and even all purchase detail and personal information can be seen clearly via the relevant enterprises and applications.

The CAC passed the regulations on algorithm recommendation in March this year, requiring all enterprises to reveal the algorithm used in every application.

Nominally, they can solve the issue of data misuse and enhance cyber security. But once when the authority obtained algorithm technology, they can take further control over web activity and carry out political propaganda.

They even can take "National Security" as an excuse, to obtain citizens' and companies' information.

Source: PC Market #Aug17
https://www.pcmarket.com.hk/china-netcom-algorithm-technology-of-30-technology-giants-has-been-mastered/?fbclid=IwAR3nrfecOdr8bYlAdIkaE3S783sF8pEprBrq_7Jg46s3lLXzzi1Pv8aSX0k

#CyberAdministrationofChina #surveillance #NationalSecurity #Webtracking #AlgorithmTechnology