China Defense Ministry Cracks Down on Illegal Military-Related Self-Media Accounts

China News Service reported that Chinese Ministry of National Defense spokesperson Chen Xi addressed military issues, stating that individual military self-media accounts treat military information as marketing gimmicks and traffic drivers, thereby damaging public interests and the image of the armed forces and military personnel, which must be handled strictly according to laws and regulations. Chen explained that to rectify violations and regulate military information dissemination during ongoing special rectifications targeting improper military marketing and hype, military and civilian functional departments publicly exposed typical cases of illegal accounts across 5 areas, such as using artificial intelligence to create false military information and conducting improper promotional campaigns for unauthorized military examinations. Chen pointed out that a clean cyberspace helps unite the military and public while supporting military strengthening and victory, noting military self-media represent an important force for sharing positive military stories, yet certain accounts disregard laws, regulations, and industry norms to exploit military topics. According to Chen, military and civilian departments will continuously deepen special rectification initiatives and heighten investigative and punitive measures, mobilizing public participation through the Cyberspace Administration of China reporting center and dedicated military reporting and rumor-refuting channels to build a clear military cyberspace.