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Beijing requires social media corporations to average content material on their platforms, with posts strictly managed to keep away from something deemed to be too subversive, vulgar, pornographic or typically dangerous.
The discover from the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) follows bulletins of penalties this month in opposition to three well-liked digital platforms, which it stated had uncared for content material administration duties.
On Saturday (September 20, 2025), the CAC stated it might perform “disciplinary and punitive measures” in opposition to micro-blogging platform Weibo and quick video platform Kuaishou, accusing them of highlighting celeb information and “undesirable” content material.
The announcement adopted related motion taken by the CAC on September 11, 2025, in opposition to the Instagram-like Xiaohongshu, often known as Rednote in English. Authorities haven’t specified what punitive actions are being taken in opposition to the three platforms.
The two-month marketing campaign — whose begin date was not laid out in Monday’s (September 22, 2025) assertion — goals “to regulate the malicious incitement of conflict and the promotion of violence and vicious currents,” the CAC stated.
The assertion then listed particular on-line points authorities hope to deal with within the crackdown. They embody “exploiting social hot spots to forcibly associate identity, region or gender with other information, stigmatising and hyping them.”
In follow, this might imply a clampdown on posts about discrimination. In July, native officers in japanese Zhejiang province warned comedians in opposition to stirring up gender discord by way of stand-up routines that joked in regards to the battle of the sexes.
Other issues focused by the marketing campaign embody disseminating “rumours” in regards to the financial system, finance, social welfare and public coverage. Weibo has beforehand warned in opposition to posting “pessimistic” views in regards to the financial system, social media customers instructed AFP in late 2023.
Monday’s (September 22, 2025) discover additionally talked about “maliciously interpreting social phenomena, unilaterally exaggerating negative individual cases and exploiting them to promote negative outlooks on life such as world-weariness.”
That might be seen as a reference to “lying flat” or “letting it rot” tradition — widespread phrases utilized by younger Chinese to explain life that snub gruelling work tradition in favour of taking it simple.
“The crackdown goals to “foster a extra civilised and rational on-line atmosphere,” the assertion stated.
Published – September 22, 2025 03:40 pm IST
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