'No mercy' for those who abuse streaming

Chinese authorities have pledged to strengthen the management of online streaming, and to show no mercy for content deemed pornographic or unscrupulous.

Nie Chenxi, head of the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television, said authorities would crack down on activities that use live streaming to break the law and undermine people’s interests.

The administration said it had handled more than 100 suspected violations of regulations and laws, including online dramas, films and other audio-visual programs since January 1.

Zhuang Rongwen, deputy head of the Cyberspace Administration of China, urged regulators, associations and Internet firms to make concerted efforts to tackle problems with live streaming, including spreading pornography, violence and rumors, and infringements on privacy.

A new regulation on live streaming, which has been in effect since December 1, is designed to help authorities in management of online streaming.

Released by the CAC, the regulation makes it compulsory for presenters to register with their real names and obliges service providers to censor content and blacklist users who break the rules, prohibiting them from registering again.

It also bans the use of live streams to undermine national security, destabilize society, disturb social order, infringe upon others’ rights and interests, or disseminate inappropriate content, including pornography.

Online streaming has grown rapidly in China in recent years, generating huge business opportunities while bringing challenges to regulators.

As of June, the number of streaming service users reached 514 million, accounting for 72.4 percent of China’s Internet population, according to the 2016 China Online Streaming Development Study Report.

The report said watching video online had become the primary form of online entertainment in China.