Chinese police detain three WeChat users over Huawei rumor
Huawei and other trade war topics have become very sensitive inside the Great Firewall
Be careful what you share in WeChat group chats. An enticing rumor might be enough to put you behind bars, especially if it’s about Huawei, China’s embattled smartphone giant.
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According a Weibo post from national police, a 48-year-old male surnamed Wu confessed to starting the rumor in a WeChat group to “show off his ability of acquiring information” and to give his friends a new topic to talk about. As punishment, he is reportedly being detained for 10 days.
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The other two, according to the police, shared this rumor to more chat groups. One of them will reportedly be detained for three days. The other is getting off with just “education and training” because before reached by police, he already clarified to the chat group that the information came from an unverified rumor.
In recent years, new laws in China have cracked down on the spread of rumors and information that “disrupts social order.” When rumors are about sensitive subjects, it’s especially liable to rankle authorities.
