The State Internet Information Office has launched a two-month campaign to regulate improper news editing online, according to a statement issued by the office on Friday.

Improper practices include running stories without proper attribution, circulating false stories, maliciously tampering with headlines and assuming the identity of a news organization in publishing news, according to a spokesman for the office.

Authorities are required to help websites to maintain strict news circulation standards and impose heavier punishments on websites that break relevant regulations.

The spokesman also encouraged the public to criticize and expose websites that spread false news, as well as advertisements appearing in the form of news articles.