“Do not believe rumors, nor spread rumors. The official government source is the only information you should depend on.”
After locking someone up for misreporting the number of deaths in a traffic accident as 16 when it was really 10, and someone else for saying seven died in a different traffic accident when the real answer was three, and smearing Charles Xue, authorities apparently still believe their anti-rumor-mongering campaign is effective. In Qinghe, Hebei province, they’ve used it to net another victim recently:
Police in Qinghe county, Hebei province detained a female netizen on August 28 and accused her of spreading rumors and disturbing social order, People’s Daily reported.
That’s via Hug China, which continues:
On the night of August 26th, a vigilant Qinghe police noticed a post by a netizen nicknamed 宁05021 in a questioning tone ”I heard that there happened a murder case in Louzhuang, anyone knows the truth?”
The post was read only 1,000 times before the police showed up, thinking “the post disturbed social order and caused panic among the masses.”
Oh yes, widespread panic, and maybe anger — which arresting microbloggers will surely not incite.
After receiving confirmation from relevant departments that no murder happened in Louzhuang, the police identified the post as rumor and took swift action and captured a 20-year-old woman surnamed Zhao on August 28.
Everything you say on the Internet must be factual. Got that? Otherwise, jail for you!
Hebei netizen detained on spreading rumor charges… (Hug China)
The Second Cultural Revolution is officially here! The Party will certainly survive this one as well, because, only pro-Party statements are allowed on the internets.
Why don’t you mention the harm of rumors? Why do you choose particularly political events to show the effect of the anti-rumor campaign？ Why don’t you mention that in 2008, orange growers across China were hit hard by the rumor that there were maggots in oranges? Either you are ignorant, or you are cherrypicking the events to best picture the Chinese governemnt as a monster.
don’t creat a false dilemma, as if anyone who doesn’t criticize the government is a pro-party. I can be a non pro-party and at the same time criticize the goverment. The point is: when you criticize, give evidence. What’s more, this is not about politics in the first place. Think about the harm rumor does to people, like online abuse and so many other things. If you are the victim of rumors, you won’t say the things you are saying now. The most important thing is: give evidence when your words may significantly affect or change the life of others! Be responsible for your words!
This is my response to RhZ: Don’t creat a false dilemma, as if anyone who doesn’t criticize the government is a pro-party. I can be a non pro-party and at the same time criticize the goverment. The point is: when you criticize, give evidence. What’s more, this is not about politics in the first place. Think about the harm rumor does to people, like online abuse and so many other things. If you are the victim of rumors, you won’t say the things you are saying now. The most important thing is: give evidence when your words may significantly affect or change the life of others! Be responsible for your words!
I also wrote a response to netizen RhZ, but the webpage won’t show it. I don’t know why.