China to Randomly Inspect Live Streaming Platforms for Illegal Content in 2017
MOC, 1/25/17
China's Ministry of Culture has announced plans to conduct random inspections of live streaming operators in 2017, with a focus on cracking down on performances including vulgar or obscene content. The MOC plans to release the results of its investigations, and may shut down platforms with serious violations.
The announcement was made after a recent meeting held with live streaming businesses, in order to ask for support and industry self-regulation in implementing new regulations for online performances. The meeting was attended by representatives from 15 companies and platforms in the live streaming, gamecasting, and interactive video industry, including Tencent (0700.HK), Douyu TV, YY Live, 6Rooms, and Inke.
The MOC also requested that platform operators immediately undertake measures to review their content and operations and clean up illegal content, including immoral, vulgar, pornographic, deceptive, or intrusive broadcasting content. The MOC asked enterprises to develop alliances or industry organizations to set up an industry blacklist and cooperate in preventing illegal broadcasters from operating across platforms, and said that individual enterprises should establish internal "warning lists" to limit the activity of problematic broadcasters, while also encouraging the activity of rule-abiding performers.
Editor's Note: For more information on this topic, please see "China's MOC Unveils Online Performance Regulations," MD 12/12/16 issue.
Keywords: Internet regulation Ministry of Culture interactive video gamecasting live streaming pornography