By Huizhong Wu
The author Murong Xuecun found his Weibo account suspended. Image via: ga165.com.
The Chinese censors are at it again.
On May 11, the famous novelist Murong Xuecun, whose real name is Hao Qun, found that his Weibo account was deleted and he could not open a new account, the Telegraph reports.
Attempts to see the author’s Weibo account lead to a message from the site saying the user’s profile cannot be displayed.
Qun, who is a novelist known for his scathing critiques about the Chinese government, was not the only person to have his Weibo account tampered with.
The other was China University of Politics and Law professor He Bing, who was suspended from the account for “forwarding a rumor twice last week”, according to Xinhua.
The shutdowns come at a time when China’s State Internet Information Office is launching a new campaign to combat online rumors. Platforms like Weibo or Twitter make it very easy for false rumors to spread, as was seen in the case of the Boston Marathon bombing.
Some say that the shutdowns are politically motivated as Bing was also an outspoken figure especially with regards to the Chinese government, according to eNCA.
Qun was not accused of having passed on any false rumors.
A few people have even been arrested for passing on allegedly false information through Weibo.
Most recently, one woman surnamed Ma was arrested for spreading rumors online that a migrant worker in Beijing was sexually assaulted and murdered by security guards.
