The authorities have fined and reprimanded 4 persons that were found spreading rumors on the Internet about an earthquake, reported the People’s Daily Online on May 13, 2008. These 4 persons are from the cities of Dalian, Langfang, Yuncheng and Jiaozuo. The report stated that they fabricated stories that there would be a major earthquake in Beijing and that the Sichuan earthquake was the result of human errors, with the purpose to attract online visits to their blogs. “The Public Security Department hopes that the broad masses of the people will not believe rumors, or spread rumors. It will enforce the law and strictly penalize those who deliberately create and spread rumors to confuse the people with the ulterior motive to incite unrest.” reported the People’s Daily Online.
Source: People Daily Online, May 14, 2008
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