Zhang Yanqui from the Communication University of China, on Thursday in Beijing, said regulating online media content would help in curbing fake news, misinformation and disinformation.

Yanqui made this known in an interview with journalists participating in a 14-day training, themed “seminar on news media of developing countries,” in Beijing.

According to her, the need for content regulation for online media cannot be overemphasised, especially in the world today where online media is fast growing with different people putting out content that can make or mar any country’s development.

Ms Yanqui said: “Curbing fake news is very important and a necessity for checks and balances, most of the challenges people, community, nations face can be attributed to fake news, misinformation and disinformation.

“We all know that each country now also faces the challenges of fake news; it’s a universal challenge.

“However, in China, I think fake news is not a big deal, because we have a call regulation system and at the national level, we have a regulation/rules.

“This means that social media should follow our national regulation policy.

“This regulation is almost the same like the regulation for the traditional media, which means the media themselves should watch out for their own content.”

According to her, the users of these online platforms will also be responsible for watching and monitoring the news content or information online.

“Whenever the users find some news improper, then they can complain and report to the regulatory bodies like we have National Radio and Television Administration (NRTA).

“There is a team of either the media or the government that will look after the issue. This is our regulation system.

“And I hope that the other countries will also consider that because without regulation, the fake news misinformation and disinformation is hard to combat,” she said.

Ms Yanqui also stated that just like how the military was dispatched to protect a nation’s land and borders, the internet space should also be protected and brought under control by regulating what goes in and out of it.

(NAN)