China’s top cyberspace regulator launched a two-month campaign on Monday to rein in chaotic behavior in the cyberspace with minors involved, focusing on platforms including short video livestreaming, social networking, learning apps, online games, e-commerce and children’s smart devices.
The latest drive on the cyberspace environment during the summer vacation launched by the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) as a part of China’s Clear and Bright campaign will crack down on problems such as taking advantage of internet celebrity status to profit and induce minors to make indecent postures and porn-suggestive content to attract traffic.
A 3-year-old popular vlogger’s livestreaming of eating sparked heated discussion on the internet in 2020. The toddler weighed about 35 kilograms because of eating too much. Despite that her parents clarified that they made the videos only for fun, the minor’s livestreams drew public concerns over behaviors profiting from minor influencers.
Besides, online videos of sexual innuendo with minors involved have been exposed on multiple social media platforms, raising concerns about the protection of minors in the cyberspace.
The regulator urged that online platforms shall not provide livestreaming services for minors under the age of 16 and the authority will severely investigate and punish the problem of inducing minors to participate in paid livestreaming activities.
Besides, the regulator will clean up pornographic novels and cartoons created in the image of minors and will investigate and deal with problems such as luring minors to make bad friends and inciting negative emotions.
Sexual seduction of minors, instigation of minors to take naked videos and pictures and committing cyber obscenity using social networking apps, chat groups, and same-city platform channels will be investigated and severely punished.
The regulator will also ramp up investigation on the spread of false information, fictional stories and vulgar plots for hype-up and to draw attention as well as for malicious marketing and other issues. They will also further investigate and punish behaviors of flaunting wealth and worshiping money, indulging in luxury and enjoyment, and distorting aesthetics, to prevent adverse effects on minors.
Meanwhile, the regulator will strictly control the infringement on minors’ privacy and investigate into and punish the personal attack, insult and verbal abuse against minors and other cyber bullying, cleaning up obscene language and other content of that can have bad influence on minors.
Besides, studying apps and platforms and products on e-commerce platforms will also be inspected to prevent vulgar and bloody content involving minors.
Since 2020, the regulator has organized and carried out special rectification campaigns on internet environment for minors in summer vacation for two consecutive years.
Source:- Global Times
Mobile app Illustration: VCG
