The rise and development of WeChat, an instant messaging application, and Weibo, the Chinese equivalent of Twitter, have brought convenience to people's life, but at the same time bred fake news and information.
Many pieces of information have yet to be confirmed by authorities and professional media. Some information that seems certain turns out to be false news the other day.
Consequently, when this phenomenon repeats itself once and again, the public inevitably feels confused as regards what to believe and what not to. WeChat and Weibo risk becoming social media disseminating false news.
Before this year's Spring Festival, someone spread a false piece of news that Chen Guangbiao was handing out a red envelope of 20 million yuan ($3.24 million), taking in many people.
And recently, I went to the US to attend a charity event. When I came across a vendor selling toys making multicolored bubbles, I took out $100 to buy two of them and asked him to keep the change.
However, seeing many journalists following me with cameras, he was scared away.
These journalists from tabloids "processed" the photos they took on the spot, and the headline appeared like this: Chen Guangbiao offered cash to a passer-by but was rejected.
This article was spread through WeChat and Weibo, soliciting a great deal of reproach.
There are still some people who disseminate false information on Weibo or Wechat based on rumors or random speculation, in a bid to increase the click rate of their websites and gain personal popularity.
Some 98 percent of the derogatory information involving me on WeChat, Weibo and other online forums is false. If someone can prove the news is true, I will donate 1 million yuan to the place that he or she chooses, I promise.
The fake news on Weibo and WeChat has not only severely disturbed the life of my family, but also wielded negative impact on my work.
In the era of new media, a randomly fabricated piece of news, with a grabbing headline and a counterfeited picture, can be spread unscrupulously on the Internet, even after being confirmed to be false.
Such viral dissemination makes fake news impossible to be eliminated, and many people take advantage of it to engage in unfair competition and personal abuse for their own profit.
Although some pieces of news have been proved false, most of the public remains ignorant, therefore causing irretrievable consequences.
Fake news on WeChat and Weibo has brought about such a grave impact on the whole of society that we have to crack down on the dissemination of such information.
In this endeavor, relevant departments should provide timely clarification, and formulate regulations to prevent fake news on Weibo and WeChat at an earlier date based on relevant civil and criminal laws.
The government should designate specific official sectors to manage social media platforms including Weibo and WeChat, and rigorously punish disseminators of false news in line with the laws and regulations.
China should also make explicit the obligation of network platforms and service providers to investigate and examine the information they release and let them assume the entity responsibility for the safety of the content on their websites.
The authorities should mete out severe penalty for issuing fake news, infringing upon the rights and interests of citizens, and exerting detrimental effect on society.
Internet users, whether institutions or individuals, should safeguard national interests and social order and take responsibility for the authenticity of the information they publish. Those found spreading pseudo-news should be called to account in the light of corresponding civil and even criminal laws.
We need to ramp up publicity to make everyone aware of the legal consequences they have to face for fabricating or forwarding a false piece of news. We should also encourage public supervision and mobilize the whole of society to battle with these lawbreakers.
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