The Beijing News (Reporter Wu Caiqian and intern Xie Jingwen) Weibo million-fan blogger @跑者子牛 once published the news of Yang Zhenning's death. After being rejected by the rumor, he issued an "apology revelation" and said that he had stopped blogging for at least three months.
On the 23rd, Xu Hao, a lawyer from the Jingshi Law Firm, told reporters from the Beijing News that the blogger’s rumors constituted a violation of the law, a civil reputation infringement, and an apology was required, and certain administrative penalties could be taken.
The blogger apologizes for the false news of Yang Zhenning's death
At 8 o'clock on March 20, a million-fan blogger posted a fake message on Weibo: "Confirmed, Mr. Yang Zhenning has indeed passed away." The Weibo was immediately reposted by dozens of people, and some people in the comment area questioned "confirmed with family members." Is it?" There was no reply.
Subsequently, the above-mentioned news was refuted.
On the morning of the 20th, the blogger involved posted a message saying that there was "misunderstanding in communication" and admitted that "Mr. Yang Zhenning's news is uncertain."
Subsequently, he posted 4 apologies on Weibo, saying that he "made a mistake."
The last Weibo "apology revelation" triggered heated discussions, "I am deeply disturbed by the misrepresentation of Mr. Yang's rumors" and "self-punished by stopping blogging for at least three months."
The "apology enlightenment" triggered heated discussions, and some netizens expressed dissatisfaction with this and believed that the person should be held legally responsible.
A reporter from the Beijing News found that the content about Yang Zhenning's death previously published by the blogger involved has been deleted.
Since the release of "Apology Revelation", the blogger involved has not updated the content yet.
According to Weibo data, the blogger involved currently has 1.08 million followers, and the certified information is the chairman of an investment company.
There are several articles related to Yang Zhenning in his Weibo, including "accompanying Mr. Yang and his wife to the show", "I want to communicate with Mr. Yang back then" and so on.
According to the official website of Tsinghua University, Yang Zhenning is a well-known physicist. He was born in Hefei, Anhui in September 1922 and is 99 years old this year.
In 1957, he and Li Zhengdao jointly proposed the principle of non-conservation of parity in weak interaction and won the Nobel Prize in Physics.
Yang Zhenning has won the "National Medal of Science" of the United States, the Powell Award for Scientific Achievement from the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, and the Science Award of the King Faisal International Award. He is currently the Honorary Dean and Professor of the Institute for Advanced Study of Tsinghua University.
Lawyer: It is a civil reputation infringement and requires an apology
Should the blogger involved apologize after posting fake news on Weibo, should he continue to bear legal responsibility?
On the 23rd, Xu Hao, a lawyer from the Jingshi Law Firm, told reporters from the Beijing News that the blogger’s rumors have constituted an illegal act, a civil reputation infringement, and an apology is required, and certain administrative penalties can be taken.
Xu Hao said that if spreading rumors, falsely reporting dangers, epidemics, police conditions, or deliberately disrupting public order by other means, or openly insulting others or fabricating facts to slander others, if it does not constitute a crime, it shall be based on the "Public Security Administration Punishment Law." Administrative penalties such as detention, fines, etc. were imposed.
The blogger involved promptly deleted the article and apologized for self-punishment.
In this regard, Xu Hao said that this is a manifestation of positive remorse. The adverse effects were eliminated in time and the loss was recovered. The circumstances can be lightened.
As for impunity, how to punish?
Need to be decided by law enforcement agencies.
A reporter from the Beijing News found that the blogger currently has 1.08 million followers.
Xu Hao said that Weibo big V has a strong network influence and has a higher legal duty of care than ordinary people. Before forwarding information, it needs to consider whether the information is true and whether the wording is appropriate.
If the Weibo big V reposts unfounded content and causes the spread of rumors, the penalty will be heavier.
"Although online rumors have no wings, they are spread very quickly." Xu Hao said that my country's current crackdown on online rumors is constantly increasing, but because many rumors are released anonymously, law enforcement agencies still have certain difficulties in combating rumors.
Xu Hao said that although many rumors have been clarified after the fact, the impact is still difficult to eliminate.
To combat Internet rumors, citizens’ awareness of law-abiding is even more needed.