China shuts down accounts posing as news outlets

China's top internet regulator announced on Wednesday it has penalized a number of social media accounts for impersonating news organizations or conducting news reporting without authorization.

The Cyberspace Administration of China said in a news release it has stepped up efforts to manage internet news services and regulate online news dissemination.

More than 1,200 accounts across multiple platforms used names, avatars and descriptions resembling legitimate news organizations to illegally publish news, the release said. Examples included accounts such as "Heilongjiang News Observation Network" and "Voice of the Times." Authorities said the accounts were shut down or muted in line with the law and relevant agreements.

The regulator said some media and entertainment companies, without obtaining the necessary licenses, also registered accounts posing as news media and conducted interviews and reporting under the guise of "correspondents" or "reporters." Those accounts were also closed in accordance with legal and regulatory requirements.

Cases also included accounts spreading false or inaccurate information. A total of 46 accounts were found using exaggerated language and headlines to publish misleading reports about companies, maliciously defaming and smearing them, the regulator said. Those accounts were muted in accordance with the law and agreements, it added.