China's top internet watchdog has issued a circular on strengthening self-media management, stressing websites and online platforms' responsibility for censorship and supervision.

Social media websites and platforms should timely identify and strictly punish self-media accounts with undesirable acts, including cooking up and spreading rumors, hyping social hotspot issues, and disseminating illegal and harmful information, according to the Office of the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission on Monday.

The circular also requires websites and platforms to efficiently prevent counterfeit accounts, especially those pretending to be authorized accounts of authorities and media outlets and those involving the fields of finance, education, healthcare and judiciary.

The circular said self-media accounts can not distort facts or publish counterfeit information that is scrabbled up, clipped, or fabricated.

Those accounts involving the before-mentioned malpractice may face punishment, including being closed, blacklisted, and banning traffic.