BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s cyber regulator has launched a hotline to report online comments slandering the ruling Communist Party and its history, promising to crack down on ‘historical nihilists’ ahead of its 100th anniversary of the Party in July.
The tip line allows people to report fellow netizens who “distort” the history of the Party, attack its leadership and policies, slander national heroes and “deny the excellence of advanced socialist culture”, reads a notice issued by a arm of the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) Friday.
“Some with ulterior motives … spread historical nihilistic misconceptions online, maliciously distorting, denigrating and denying the Party’s history,” the notice read.
“We hope that the majority of Internet users will actively play their part in overseeing society … and enthusiastically report harmful information,” he said.
“Historical nihilism” is a phrase used in China to describe public doubt and skepticism about the Chinese Communist Party’s description of past events.
China’s internet is strictly censored and most foreign social media networks, search engines and newspapers are banned in the country.
Internet authorities often increase censorship and online surveillance before major events, including historical anniversaries, political meetings, and sporting events.
The notice does not specify what penalties will be applied to people reported by the hotline, but netizens in China are already being penalized by jail and other legal penalties for posting content that is critical to the province’s leadership, policies and history.
Legislative amendments issued earlier this year stipulate that people who “insult, slander or infringe on the memory of China’s national heroes and martyrs are punishable by up to three years in prison.
Last week, authorities in the eastern Chinese province of Jiangsu detained a 19-year-old man after he made “insulting” comments about Japan’s occupation of Nanjing in 1937.
Chinese social media sites that do not censor critical content are also subject to financial sanctions and temporary suspension of service under current law.
Reporting by Cate Cadell; Edited by Kim Coghill