China detains two for spreading online rumor

Updated: 2011-12-12 16:09

(Xinhua)

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CHANGSHA - Two men have been detained in Central China's Hunan province for spreading a rumor about a massive number of police forces guarding a wedding, local police said Monday.

The pair, arrested in the city of Changsha Sunday, were accused of spreading a rumor that 5,000 policemen and 100 police vehicles were seen guarding a wedding convoy in the city on December 6, police investigators said.

The two men, both in their twenties, posted a video clip online showing crowds of police officers and a wedding convoy on the street. Police investigators said the incident was a coincidence, as the officers were returning from a training drill and happened to be passing the convoy at that particular moment.

Local police officials said the rumor spread quickly, with the video clip receiving large numbers of hits. The two men will be detained for a total of five days in accordance with relevant laws, the officials said.

China is home to 485 million registered Internet users, the most of any country in the world. Authorities have vowed in recent months to strengthen management of online content to prevent rumors from spreading and encourage the creation of a healthy online culture.

Leading Chinese Internet firms have agreed to tight content controls. Sina.com, a Chinese web portal that is home to Sina Weibo, the country's most popular microblogging service, agreed to set up "rumor-crushing teams" this year to eliminate false information on its microblogs.