Douyin advertisement suspended for releasing defamatory information of Chinese war hero

Ad business of Douyin, a popular short video app platform in China, has been suspended for releasing defamatory information of a Chinese war hero, reports Jiemian.com.

Ads promoted by Douyin to internet search engines were found to have contained defamatory information of war hero Qiu Shaoyun on June 6, 2018.

A mobile phone user opens the mobile app of Tik Tok, an overseas iteration of short video app Douyin, of Beijing Bytedance Technology Co Ltd on his smartphone in Ji'nan city, east China's Shandong province, 4 June 2018. [Photo: IC]

Qiu Shaoyun is a hero during China's War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea (1950-1953).

According to news released by Beijing cyberspace administration authority, Douyin and four other related companies were ordered to implement rectification measures in their ad businesses.

The companies were demanded to take a thorough check and clean-up on defamatory information of Chinese war heroes, improve their ad selection systems and train related employees. Names and portraits of heroes such as Qiu Shaoyun shouldn't be used in commercial ads, said the authorities.

The companies have promised to follow the demands strictly and decided to suspend their ad businesses.

A legal investigation into the five companies led by State Administration for Market Regulation is underway. The punishment results will be released in a timely manner.

China's law to protect the reputation and honor of heroes and martyrs became effective on May 1. The law bans activities that defame heroes and martyrs, or to distort and diminish their deeds.

Douyin has a monthly active user group of over 300 million in the Chinese mainland, according to the company's latest statistics.