China’s internet regulator has fined Chinese social media company Weibo Corp 3 million yuan ($470,000) for regularly disseminating unauthorised information.
The Chinese Cyberspace Administration (CAC) stated that Weibo had broken a cybersecurity legislation relating to children’ protection, as well as other rules, but did not provide any specifics.
It also stated that in the year to November, Beijing’s local cyberspace body slapped 44 penalties on Weibo totaling 14.3 million yuan.
The CAC said in a statement that the firm, which uses a platform similar to Twitter, has been instructed to “quickly rectify and deal with relevant accountable persons seriously.”
Weibo stated in a statement that it “sincerely accepts” the regulator’s criticism and that it has formed a work group in reaction to the punishment.
The fine is the latest in a series of penalties levied by the regulator against Internet businesses this year, and it comes as the government tightens its grip on an increasingly controlled internet, with new guidelines established for news sites and online platforms. Officials have stated that they wish to foster a “civilised” internet.
These attempts include a crackdown on online “fan culture” and a restriction on social media businesses actively promoting celebrities, claiming that they have a negative influence on children.
The CAC punished Douban, a popular movie review site, 1.5 million yuan earlier this month for “unlawful dissemination of information.”
