The Procuratorate Daily published an article on April 9 related to Quan Hongchan suffering cyberbullying and having reported it to the police; a law-based society has no room for unjustified "keyboard wounds."
The full text is as follows:
On April 8, in response to the cyberbullying targeting diver Quan Hongchan, the Guangdong Ersha Sports Training Center, to which she is affiliated, issued a statement announcing that a police report had been filed and that legal action would be taken to hold the cyberbullies accountable. Subsequently, the swimming administrative center of the General Administration of Sport of China also issued a statement expressing firm support for using legal means to protect athletes' legitimate rights and interests, and resolutely opposing the erosion of the distorted fandom culture.
Not long ago, Quan Hongchan tearfully pleaded, "Please stop cursing me," during a media interview—a scene that left many feeling disheartened, highlighting the negative impact of cyberbullying on athletes' physical and mental health. The training center's decision to report the incident to the police represents the most direct legal response to this malicious harm.
According to media reports, the cyberbullying against Quan Hongchan may involve a WeChat group of over 200 members, with a group announcement explicitly stating, "It is forbidden to attack other athletes (except Quan Hongchan)." The group had long been characterized by derogatory nicknames and personal attacks directed at Quan Hongchan.
This detail sends a chill down the spine: a social tool intended for group chats has been perverted into a public arena for insults. From a legal perspective, this is not mere "trolling" but a clear infringement on personal dignity. The Civil Code of China stipulates that no organization or individual may infringe upon another's right to reputation through insults, defamation, or other means. WeChat groups composed of non-specific individuals possess the attributes of a public space. Posting insulting, defamatory, slanderous, or derogatory remarks about others in such groups may constitute an infringement on the right to reputation and incur legal liability.
According to the Provisions on the Administration of Internet Group Information Services, the founders and administrators of internet groups are obliged to fulfill group management responsibilities, regulate group members' online conduct and information publication in accordance with laws, regulations, user agreements, and platform conventions, and foster a civilized and orderly online group space. The Guiding Opinions on Punishing Cyberviolence Violations and Crimes in accordance with Law stipulate that internet service providers who initiate or organize cyberbullying crimes will be punished more severely in accordance with the law. According to the above provisions, group administrators bear management responsibilities over group members. If an investigation confirms that group members have made inappropriate remarks infringing upon others' legitimate rights and interests or the public interest, and the administrator fails to fulfill their management duties, they may be held correspondingly liable for the infringement. In serious cases, they may also face administrative penalties or even criminal liability.
With the involvement of relevant authorities, it is believed that the cyberbullying case against Quan Hongchan will soon reach a resolution. However, it must be clearly recognized that building a clean cyberspace is never a one-time achievement resolved by handling a high-profile case. This cyberbullying incident not only reveals the erosion of the sports ecosystem by the distorted "fan circle" culture but also exposes deeper challenges in governing cyberbullying—the imbalance between the low cost of perpetrating abuse and the high cost of seeking justice, which leaves many acts of cyberbullying that should be prosecuted lingering beyond the reach of legal regulation.
How can we say "no" to the recurring problem of cyberbullying? Online platforms must fulfill their supervisory responsibilities, refrain from sacrificing individual rights or fueling extreme emotions for the sake of "traffic," and cut off the transmission chain of the fandom poison at its source. Judicial authorities must increase penalties, raise the cost of illegal behavior so that cyberbullies are deterred from reoffending, and clarify the boundaries of responsibility for the founders and administrators of various internet groups, including WeChat groups, Weibo groups, and forums, ensuring that "semi-closed spaces" no longer enjoy an implicit immunity from liability.
Only by translating the legal consequences of cyberbullying from "paper" to "reality" can the protection of public figures' personality rights receive genuine, rigid legal support. It is hoped that the lawful handling of the cyberbullying against Quan Hongchan will serve as a warning to society: the fantasy of cyberbullies hiding behind screens that "the law cannot punish everyone" has no place before the law.
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