--- title: "China Arrests Man for Using ChatGPT to Write Fake News" description: "The age of AI arrests appears to have begun in China, where a man who used ChatGPT to allegedly generate fake news headlines was detained." date: "2023-05-08" modified: "2023-05-08" authors: - name: "Noor Al-Sibai" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/nooralsibai" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/china-chatgpt-fake-news-arrest" categories: - "Artificial Intelligence" - "OpenAI" tags: - "chatgpt" - "china" - "fake news" - "the digest" --- # China Arrests Man for Using ChatGPT to Write Fake News ![The age of AI arrests appears to have begun in China, where a man who used ChatGPT to allegedly generate fake news headlines was detained.]() *\Image: Getty / Futurism\* ## Under AIrrest The age of artificial intelligence arrests appears to have kicked off in earnest in China, where a man was detained for using ChatGPT to allegedly generate fake news. As the [*South China Morning Post* reports](), a man identified only by his surname has been arrested in the country's Gansu province after, per local police, "using artificial intelligence technology to concoct false and untrue information." The fake news in question apparently claimed, falsely, that nine people had died in a train accident at the end of April. A bunch of different versions of the story were reportedly published to Baijihao, a news blog-esque social network run by the Chinese search engine Baidu. As the *SCMP* notes, this appears to be the first time that the public has been made aware of any arrests under [China's new "deepfake" regulations](), which bar the use of "deep synthesis" software without visible labeling. ## Legalese Known as the "The Administrative Provisions on Deep Synthesis for Internet Information Service," the new law, which took effect in January, requires all AI-edited content to be explicitly labeled and have its original, real-life source listed. It also demands that anyone who uses generative software to edit someone's voice or image alert the person in question and get their consent to do so. The sweeping new regulation also lists about 1,300 government-approved news sites allowed to use generative AI to write or create content, and indicates that all content made with AI must maintain "correct political direction and correct public opinion orientation," per its wording. The report indicates that the suspect used ChatGPT specifically, which although not available in China is easily accessed through a VPN. He was charged, per local police, with "[picking quarrels and provoking trouble,]()" a broad charge that can ultimately result in five to ten years in prison. With AI's ability to make [believable fake content]() increasing every day, regulation of it is necessary — and although China's approach does sound draconian, maybe there are some glimmers of policy that could benefit the rest of the world here. **More on fake nudes:** [*People Are Actually Selling AI-Generated Nudes on Reddit*]() ## Author At Futurism, I've often been drawn to unpacking the narratives that underlie technological, scientific and medical progress, with a special interest in areas of conflict and ambiguity that end up setting agendas and steering the fates of both elites and the hoi polloi. I'm a committed generalist, but I often find myself returning to work involving NASA and the private space sector, the effects of AI on media and society, and the mechanics of the pharmaceutical industry, with a specific focus on the spread of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. Prior to Futurism, I worked for publications ranging from Media Matters and Truthdig to Raw Story and Bustle. I'm also the author of "Myspace Scene Queens," a 2024 title in Instar Books' acclaimed "Remember the Internet" series. My work at Futurism has been cited by outlets including the New Yorker, Slate, Nieman Lab, the Verge, the MIT Technology Review, the Sunday Times, and the Daily Beast. I grew up in North Carolina, attended the University of North Carolina at Asheville, and now live in Brooklyn, New York. In my free time, I'm an avid reader and music fan; you can probably find me at a local poetry reading, concert, underground rave, or DJ set. I'm the proud parent of an ineffable orange cat named Mee-Mow. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()