Hundreds Of WeChat Accounts Shut Down In China

By Niam Seet Wei BEIJING (China), Aug 30 (Bernama) -- More than 300 accounts of China's mobile messaging app WeChat have been shut down by its parent company, China's Tencent Holdings Ltd, following the government's new restrictions on instant messaging tools that kicked off recently. Xinhua news agency reported that as of Aug 25, a total of 46 mass-publication accounts had been permanently shut down, while 311 others were disabled with suspension durations ranging from seven to 90 days. Among of the reasons for the accounts being closed included publication of illegal advertisements, disturbing ethnic unity, committing libel and violating privacy, Xinhua quoted a statement released by the State Internet Information Office on Friday. Friday's notice described the accounts in question as "the first batch," hinting that more will be identified and punished. In the middle of the month, a man suspected of spreading rumours on WeChat was detained by the police, after he had allegedly published several unverified reports involving public assaults and baby trafficking by using a WeChat public account. China has more than 800 million instant messenger users, with more than 20 billion information being sent out daily. --BERNAMA