- tech360.tv
Weibo Takes Action Against Fake Images of Tencent Founder Pony Ma
Weibo has deleted accounts spreading fake images of Tencent founder Pony Ma. Chinese tech entrepreneurs have chosen to stay out of the public eye in recent years. Weibo vows to crack down on false information and extortion against enterprises.
Chinese social media platform Weibo has recently taken a stand against the spread of fake images targeting top entrepreneurs. The platform has deleted several accounts that were publishing and circulating a photoshopped picture of Pony Ma Huateng, the founder and CEO of Tencent Holdings. The retouched image depicted Ma with grey hair and wrinkles, suggesting that he had aged rapidly due to the pressures of his role.
In a statement, Weibo addressed the issue, stating, "A small number of users posted and hyped up false information about companies and entrepreneurs, and even deliberately spread rumors through Photoshopped pictures." The platform emphasised that such behavior infringes upon the legal rights of enterprises and entrepreneurs, and damages the online environment for businesses.
The fake images of Ma, who is actually 52 years old, drew attention as he and other Chinese tech founders have been relatively absent from public appearances in recent years. The last public sighting of Ma was on March 22, when he attended a meeting of the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce. In the video clip from the event, Ma appeared with his natural black hair and appeared to be in good health.
Chinese entrepreneurs often face speculation and verbal abuse on domestic social media platforms. Zhong Shanshan, the chairman of Nongfu Spring and China's richest man, recently became a target of online trolls accusing him of lacking patriotism. Similarly, Lenovo Group and its founder Liu Chuanzhi faced months of baseless attacks from an influencer named Sima Nan, who claimed that the company had misappropriated state assets.
Unlike their Western counterparts who frequently attend public events and share personal updates on social media, Chinese tech entrepreneurs have chosen to stay out of the limelight in recent years. Zhang Yiming, the founder of ByteDance, the company behind TikTok, has not been seen in public for a long time. Colin Huang Zheng, the founder of e-commerce giant Pinduoduo and the richest tech entrepreneur in China, has also disappeared from public view.
Weibo has pledged to crack down more forcefully on false information and extortion against enterprises, in line with the calls from Chinese internet watchdogs. The platform urges users to be more rational and report problematic content. Chinese regulators have increased their scrutiny of online information targeting domestic entrepreneurs as part of efforts to restore confidence in the private sector and revive the country's sluggish economy after the pandemic.
According to Zhang Yi, the CEO of Chinese consultancy firm iiMedia Research, "Well-known entrepreneurs are increasingly facing challenges on highly developed social media networks, with netizens targeting their personal histories and company products. They can only rely on regulations that are cracking down on similar behaviors."
Weibo has deleted accounts spreading fake images of Tencent founder Pony Ma.
Chinese tech entrepreneurs have chosen to stay out of the public eye in recent years.
Weibo vows to crack down on false information and extortion against enterprises.
Source: SCMP