China has created online police stations to secure netizens' private information. (Photo : Reuters)
China is aiming to set up a network of online police stations in major Internet corporations and websites in order for the authorities to immediately react against unlawful online actions, according to the Ministry of Public Security's statement on Tuesday.
The Internet police offices are given the task of collecting and reporting information on alleged illegal behaviors. The Xinhua News Agency reported that companies also benefit from these online police stations as they heighten the security management.
Website operators are told to refrain from sensationalizing sensitive cases since this might lead to more crimes. They are also banned from administrating pornographic and brutal information.
To be fair to the community, the website operators are obliged to be open to suggestions, feedback and public assistance.
Authorities have been upgrading the protection levels of website data in an attempt to stop hacking incidents and to keep the personal information of netizens safe from malicious intentions.
Severe punishments will be imposed on those who are proven to be performing online misconduct, such as hacking, committing fraud, spreading falsified rumors, and illegally extracting private information.
The ministry added that they would apply filters on information regarding terrorism, violence, drugs and pornography.
Internet police in China created social networking accounts in June in various platforms that cover 50 regions and cities as part of their efforts to fight cybercrimes. After the pilot test, police will establish their own online screening teams. This initiative is seen by analysts as a significant leap toward empowering the rule of law in cyberspace.
Apart from removing 758,000 bits of "illegal and criminal information," authorities have also inspected more than 70,000 cases of cybercrime starting Jan. 2015, as stated by the ministry.
