BEIJING: China on Saturday (Jul 13) announced new controls on internet content, taking aim at video apps and social media platforms to purge material deemed harmful to children.
The ruling Communist Party strictly regulates the domestic web, censoring content deemed vulgar, ostentatious or politically subversive.
It has periodically clamped down on specific sectors, from online influencers to gaming and shopping platforms.
In a statement on Saturday, the country’s internet watchdog said it was launching a two-month “Clear and Bright” campaign “to effectively strengthen the protection of minors on the internet and create a healthier, safer online environment”.
The move will “rectify prominent problems” related to short-video and livestreaming platforms, social media sites, online shopping platforms, app stores, smart devices for children and online controls for minors, the statement by the Cyberspace Administration of China said.
It targets diverse behaviours such as broadcasting videos that appear to glorify school bullying, adding “violent and gory” content to classic children’s cartoons and songs, and generating profits from underage “internet celebrity kids”.
