London, September 9, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Chinese authorities are intensifying restrictions on information surrounding the recent floods in Tibet, using the latest version of a nationwide campaign to suppress what officials classify as “rumours” and control public narratives about the disaster, according to a report.
The Guardian reported that the campaign, known as “Clean Internet 2026”, is being conducted by China’s Ministry of Public Security and has increasingly been used to target unofficial accounts of major events, including details surrounding the recent flooding.
The campaign follows a broader pattern in which Chinese authorities promote official accounts of disasters, restrict independent reporting and information-sharing, and take action against people who circulate information that differs from government-approved narratives.
Tencho Gyatso of the International Campaign for Tibet said the campaign has a dual purpose: addressing genuine issues such as fraud and misinformation while also tightening government control over public narratives, The Guardian reported.
Researchers monitoring Chinese social media observed a surge of public interest in the floods after news of the disaster emerged. However, discussion subsequently declined as comments and posts were removed in real time.
Screenshots cited by The Guardian showed restrictions imposed by WeChat on flood-related content. One user was informed that a post had been reported and deleted for containing “politically sensitive content”, while another was prevented from sharing a post because it was deemed “unavailable due to policy violation” and contained “prohibited content”.
Four days after the flooding, police in Tibet reported 10 cases under the Clean Internet 2026 campaign linked to rumours about the disaster.
Chinese authorities have so far reported 43 deaths from the floods. However, human rights organisations and Tibet advocacy groups have alleged that the actual death toll is higher and accused the authorities of withholding information.
The restrictions have also drawn condemnation from Reporters Without Borders (RSF), which said no independent Tibetan media organisation or international news outlet had been granted access to the affected areas.
RSF said Chinese authorities had authorised only state media to report from the flood-hit Tibetan areas, with coverage focusing on relief efforts and the government’s response rather than providing a complete picture of the devastation.
Aleksandra Bielakowska, RSF Asia-Pacific’s Head of Advocacy, described Tibet as a “de facto information black hole” under Chinese President Xi Jinping’s leadership. She said independent Tibetan and international media are not permitted to freely report from the region, making it extremely difficult to determine the true scale of the disaster.
Bielakowska alleged that state-controlled outlets operate according to guidelines approved by the Chinese Communist Party’s Propaganda Department and said the restrictions allow authorities to protect China’s international image while suppressing information that could portray the government negatively.
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