China devises rules for ‘healthy environment’ online
Beijing said on Monday that it wants to strengthen the protection of minors enjoying games and other content on the internet.
The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) released draft measures aimed at creating “a healthy, civilized and orderly environment” for minors online, as well as protecting their “psychical and mental health.”
The regulator said that online gaming, streaming, and video-sharing platforms must set up a “youth mode” for minors, and threatened to shut down websites and revoke their business licenses for violations.
Last year, the regulator launched a campaign against what Chinese media described as “unhealthy fan culture” and “frenzied idol worship” by underage fans.
The CAC also said it will devise guidelines and algorithms for wider protection of internet users from various abuse, such as cyberbullying, fraud, and other “illegal behavior.”
Social media platform Weibo took down more than 41,000 posts and banned 850 accounts for “creating trouble” during the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. Some of the banned accounts were leaving negative comments about Chinese figure skater Zhu Yi, who had a disastrous performance during the games.
