China’s cyber regulator has launched a hotline to report online comments that defame the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its history, vowing to crack down on “historical nihilists” ahead of the party’s 100th anniversary in July.
The tip line allows people to report fellow netizens who “distort” the party’s history, attack its leadership and policies, defame national heroes and “deny the excellence of advanced socialist culture” online, a notice posted by an arm of the Cyberspace Administration of China on Friday said.
“Some with ulterior motives ... have been spreading historical nihilistic misrepresentations online, maliciously distorting, denigrating and negating the history of the Party,” the notice said.
“We hope that the majority of Internet users will actively play their part in supervising society ... and enthusiastically report harmful information,” it said.
“Historical nihilism” is a phrase used in China to describe public doubt and skepticism over the CCP’s description of past events.
China’s Internet is tightly censored and most foreign social media networks, search engines and news outlets are banned in the country.
Cyberauthorities often increase censorship and online supervision ahead of major events, including historical anniversaries, political meetings and sports events.
The notice did not specify what punishments would be dealt to people who are reported through the hotline, but netizens in China already face jail time and other legal punishments for posting content that is critical of the nation’s leadership, policies and history.
Legal amendments released earlier this year stipulate that people who “insult, slander of infringe upon” the memory of China’s national heroes and martyrs face jail time of up to three years.
Last week, Jiangsu Province authorities detained a 19-year-old man after making “insulting” comments online about the victims of Japan’s 1937 occupation of Nanjing.
Chinese social media sites that fail to censor critical content also face financial sanctions, as well as temporary suspensions of service under current law.
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