According to China Central Television, in recent years, some self-media outlets have deliberately fabricated negative information about enterprises, seriously disrupting the normal business operations and market order of companies. This year, Shanghai police have solved more than 100 cases involving false enterprise rumors, and legally removed 87,000 pieces of false information related to enterprises; they have also solved 68 cases of enterprise hacking, and arrested more than 210 suspects.
Shanghai police introduced a case in which a suspect intentionally created negative public opinion against an enterprise and extorted money: the suspect continuously published more than ten false articles to defame a tech company that had just announced a financing deal, and extorted 2.3 million yuan.
Demanding 300,000 yuan for "retraction fees" and then asking for 2 million yuan in "consulting cooperation fees"
In May this year, Changning police in Shanghai received a report from a local tech company stating that a self-media official account had frequently published false reports about the company since April, causing serious damage to the company's reputation, even affecting its actual operations—partners and investors expressed concerns to the company.
After verifying the financial status, business growth, and other information mentioned in the articles, the police confirmed that all the content published by the official account was false. During this period, the operator of the official account, Wang, demanded 300,000 yuan as a fee to remove the articles; subsequently, he continued to publish false articles speculating on the company's business strength and financial situation, and asked the company for 2 million yuan as so-called "consulting cooperation fees."
Upon receiving the report, the police quickly arrested the suspect Wang. It was found that Wang's professional background had nothing to do with the business of this tech company, and all the enterprise-related articles he published were generated by AI.
At present, Wang is under criminal compulsory measures by the police for the suspected crime of extortion, and all the false articles have been removed.
