China orders livestreaming platforms to step up oversight of underage users
A man plays online game on a computer at an internet cafe in Beijing, China, on Aug 31, 2021.
PHOTO: Reuters
PUBLISHED ONMay 09, 2022 3:32 AM
SHANGHAI - China on Saturday (May 7) ordered internet platforms to step up governance of how under-18s use their livestreaming services as part of an ongoing regulatory crackdown on the booming sector.
The platforms need to step up controls to stop underage users from tipping livestreamers or becoming livestreamers themselves without guardian consent, the National Radio and Television Administration said in a statement.
They will also need to strengthen the management of peak hours for such shows and shows will need to be "forcibly" turned off by 10 pm local time for users of their parental control "youth mode" functions, it added.
The orders come after China last month launched a two-month special campaign to clean up "chaos" in online live streaming and short video businesses, part of a broader plan to promote what is deemed as appropriate and legal content.
Among the country's most prominent live-streaming platforms are ByteDance's Douyin, the Chinese equivalent of TikTok, Kuaishou, Alibaba-backed Bilibili, as well as Huya and Douyu, which are both backed by Tencent Holdings.
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