Chinese police detain man for allegedly spreading fake news using ChatGPT

In what is being described as China's first criminal case involving an AI chatbot, police have detained a man who allegedly used ChatGPT to create and spread fake news online. The suspect, identified as Mr Hong, reportedly utilized ChatGPT, developed by Microsoft-backed OpenAI, to generate a false report about a train crash. He then shared the fabricated article online with the aim of making a profit.

The police statement from the northwest province of Gansu revealed that the article received approximately 15,000 views.
ChatGPT is prohibited in China; however, internet users can still access it through the use of virtual private networks (VPNs). Train accidents have been a sensitive topic in the country since 2011 when authorities faced criticism for their delayed updates on a bullet train collision in Wenzhou, resulting in 40 fatalities.


The Gansu authorities confirmed that Mr Hong, whose surname was disclosed, was questioned in Dongguan city, located in the southern Guangdong province, on May 5. The police statement stated, "Hong used modern technology to fabricate false information, spreading it on the internet, which was widely disseminated." They further explained that his actions constituted the offense of "picking quarrels and provoking trouble."

This arrest marks the first in Gansu province since the Cyberspace Administration of China introduced new regulations in January to address the use of deep fakes. The legislation aims to control the generation of highly realistic textual and visual content produced by artificial intelligence. Users are now prohibited from creating deep fake content on topics already forbidden by existing internet censorship laws. The regulations also outline procedures for the removal of false or harmful content.

The arrest is part of a 100-day campaign launched by the internet division of the Ministry of Public Security in March to combat the dissemination of internet rumors. State broadcaster CGTN reported that this was the first arrest in China involving an individual accused of utilizing ChatGPT to fabricate and spread fake news.

FAQs

Q1:What is ChatGPT used for?
ChatGPT is a natural language processing tool driven by AI technology that allows you to have human-like conversations and much more with the chatbot

Q2:Is ChatGPT free to use?
Yes, you can use ChatGPT for free.