China bans children under 16 from livestreaming
People under the age of 16 in China are not allowed to live stream on platforms, and 16-18 year olds also need a guardian when livestreaming.
The new rule was introduced on May 7 by four regulatory agencies in the country, including the National Radio and Television Administration and the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC). According to the joint statement, the reason for the ban was to “protect the physical and mental health” of teenagers.
A woman in Hangzhou prepares for a livestream on June 21, 2021. Image: Bloomberg
“Internet platforms need to seriously implement the real-name registration requirement, ban providing money-collecting services to minors such as giving gifts, cash or other forms of online payment via livestream.” stated statement. “If violated, platforms can be severely fined, including shutting down the livestream feature permanently.”
Under the new rule, people under the age of 16 are banned from live streaming, while those aged 16 to 18 need permission from a parent or guardian. In addition, the regulator also requires platforms to upgrade features specifically for minors, with a content moderation mode “to make sure kids get enough rest”.
Regulators in China are currently struggling to deal with the problem of addiction and excessive spending by young people in the digital space. According to SCMP, the new regulation is following the same path as the ban on online gaming with minors. In August 2021, China required teenagers to only play online games for three hours a week, in order to protect “young people’s eyesight, physical strength and mental health”.
The CAC has also issued a number of regulations governing children’s online activities since 2016. However, by 2021, everything will be tightened, including the requirement that online service delivery platforms must responsible for content distribution and user control, transparency in new user registration, age requirements, and increased penalties for violations.
According to market consulting firm iiMedia Research, the live streaming industry in China has attracted more than 600 million participants as of mid-2021. Popular livestreaming platforms include ByteDance’s Douyin, Alibaba’s Taobao Live, and ByteDance’s Douyin. Kuaishou by Kuaishou Technology. In addition, Huya and Douyu platforms are also quite popular but mainly focused on gamers.
Bao Lam (according to SCMP)
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