Those who spread rumors will be subject to civil liability, administrative liability and criminal liability respectively because of the seriousness of the circumstances.
 1. If the circumstances are relatively minor, it is generally a civil punishment, that is, a fine of some money to the victim. If the circumstances are serious, it is generally applied by the party and tried by the court, and then criminal punishment can be carried out. If spreading rumors infringes the reputation of individual citizens or infringes the goodwill of legal persons, according to the provisions of the General Principles of the Civil Law of China, they shall bear the responsibility of stopping the infringement, restoring the reputation, eliminating the impact, apologizing and compensating for losses.
 2. If rumors are spread, the public security organ can punish the perpetrator according to the provisions of the Law on Administrative Penalties for Public Security, and the local police station will summon, verify and punish the perpetrator with a subpoena card according to the provisions. Whoever fabricates false facts and spreads them on information networks or other media, or knowingly spreads them on information networks or other media, thereby seriously disrupting social order, or causing serious consequences, shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not more than three years, criminal detention or public surveillance; If serious consequences are caused, he shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not less than three years but not more than seven years.
 Legal basis:
 Article 25 of the Law of the People's Republic of China on Administrative Penalties for Public Security
 Whoever commits one of the following acts shall be detained for not less than five days but not more than 10 days and may also be fined not more than 500 yuan; If the circumstances are relatively minor, he shall be detained for not more than five days or fined not more than 500 yuan:
 （1） Spreading rumors, falsely reporting dangerous situations, epidemic situations, police situations or deliberately disturbing public order by other means;
 （2） Disrupting public order by throwing false explosive, toxic, radioactive, corrosive substances or infectious disease pathogens and other dangerous substances;
 （3） Threatening to set fire, explode or throw dangerous substances to disturb public order.