Security News > 2022 > May > China wants its youth to stop giving livestreamers money

China's internet regulator, the Cyberspace Administration of China, has published guidelines that aim to stop minors from giving tips or other forms of payment to livestreamers, watching after 10pm, or livestreaming themselves.

"Website platforms must not develop functional applications that attract minors to tip or induce minors to give 'gifts.' If it is found that the website platform violates the aforementioned requirements, measures such as suspending the tipping function and shutting down the live broadcast business will be implemented," said the recently published Opinions on Regulating Online Live Rewards and Strengthening the Protection of Minors.

Viewers giving tips, online gifts or other forms of payments to livestreamers is a common phenomenon in China that grew significantly during the pandemic.

Livestreamers use platforms like China's TikTok equivalent Douyin, Alibaba-backed Bilibili, and Tencent's Huya and Duya most often to sell goods and services in addition to garnering tips.

Last March, Beijing took measures to make it more difficult for livestreamers to evade taxes while requiring them to register, use their real name, and refrain from marketing tactics it deemed "False publicity."

Last September, China declared that it wants a "Civilized" internet and has taken action on a wide range of online behaviors, from notoriously mean digital fan clubs to gaming, to achieve it.

News URL

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2022/05/09/china_livestreaming/