Sina Weibo to quash online rumors

Sina (SINA.NASDAQ) has pledged to “ensure the authenticity” of information on its websites, an indication that it will step up censorship of its popular microblogging service, the Wall Street Journal reported. Chinese authorities have recently launched a campaign to discourage the spreading of “rumors” and “harmful information,” terms often used to refer to information not approved by the government. Sina said in a statement that it will “actively spread the core values of socialism, the advanced culture of socialism and try to stop the spread of harmful false information.” Sina’s Weibo service has increasingly come under the spotlight because of its explosive growth – the site now has more than 200 million users – and its reputation as a relatively open platform for airing opinions. To manage this information, the company has formed a group of staff members called “Weibo Piyao,” Chinese for “rumor dispellers,” to check the authenticity of controversial postings.