China set to hammer its $30 billion livestreaming industry with new restrictions

[midian182]

In a nutshell: Livestreaming is big business in China. It's an industry worth an estimated $30 billion, but authorities are getting ready to slam streamers with new regulations, including limiting the amount of money they can receive from fans and tightening restrictions on the type of content they can show.

Citing people familiar with the matter, The Wall Street Journal reports that Chinese authorities are currently drafting the new regulations, which will cap the amount internet users can tip livestreamers. Additionally, content creators will have daily limits on how much they can receive from fans and they may see a tightening of already stringent censorship rules.

According to the state-run China Internet Network Information Center, around 70% of China's internet users tune in to livestreaming services, bringing in an audience of more than 700 million last year. While many streamers earn commission from the products they promote, most rely on tips and virtual gifts for their income, which in some cases can reach tens of thousands of dollars every day—limiting their earning potential won't go down well with the creators and their teams.

China has long exerted control over what its citizens see online. Its Great Firewall is designed to regulate the internet, and it has a slew of rules related to video games and what can appear in titles—blood, even green blood, is disallowed. Regulators audit online content to ensure it meets "core socialist values," ban under 16s from livestreaming, and have limited the amount of time minors can play online games to one hour on Fridays, weekends, and holidays.

In another example of Chinese censorship, we heard last year about some of the strange activities banned on the TikTok-like WeChat Channels, including fortune-telling, shots inside nightclubs and foot massage lounges, guessing a baby's pre-birth gender, consuming socks or instant noodles made with water left over from washing feet, and hip-shaking.

Masthead image credit: Jéan Béller

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/93981-china-set-hammer-30-billion-livestreaming-industry-new.html

 

[QuantumPhysics]

China has already put restrictions on how many hours - and at what hours their school aged children can play video games.

China has restricted television so that "certain lifestyles" are not allowed to be propagated on TV.

China has restricted the amount of time livestreaming may be conducted.

China has restricted its television and media so that anti-China views are not allowed.

China has restricted certain forms of violence and lasciviousness so that their school-aged kids may not see it.

Some may criticize China for its totalitarianism, but what I see is a country that's doing its best to protect their young minds and making sure they don't become like those in the west. Criticize them all you want, but their kids are actually competitive and able to thrive without living in mom's basement till their 40's.

 

[QuantumPhysics]

"China has long exerted control over what its citizens see online. Its Great Firewall is designed to regulate the internet, and it has a slew of rules related to video games and what can appear in titles—blood, even green blood, is disallowed. Regulators audit online content to ensure it meets "core socialist values," ban under 16s from livestreaming, and have limited the amount of time minors can play online games to one hour on Fridays, weekends, and holidays.

In another example of Chinese censorship, we heard last year about some of the strange activities banned on the TikTok-like WeChat Channels, including fortune-telling, shots inside nightclubs and foot massage lounges, guessing a baby's pre-birth gender, consuming socks or instant noodles made with water left over from washing feet, and hip-shaking."


I can't imagine how angry Google, Apple, Facebook, Instagram and other American companies are at not being able to exploit those hundreds of millions of young minds and make them just as unproductive and uncompetitive as they have in America and Europe!

 

[Xex360]

While I cannot live in a country like that, I salute their initiative unlike the so called democratic countries where they actively protect companies rather than people.

 

[Hysc84]

China has already put restrictions on how many hours - and at what hours their school aged children can play video games.

China has restricted television so that "certain lifestyles" are not allowed to be propagated on TV.

China has restricted the amount of time livestreaming may be conducted.

China has restricted its television and media so that anti-China views are not allowed.

China has restricted certain forms of violence and lasciviousness so that their school-aged kids may not see it.

Some may criticize China for its totalitarianism, but what I see is a country that's doing its best to protect their young minds and making sure they don't become like those in the west. Criticize them all you want, but their kids are actually competitive and able to thrive without living in mom's basement till their 40's.

Quite true and agreed but still western mind is on freedom and at the same time asking for government support

 

[QuantumPhysics]

While I cannot live in a country like that, I salute their initiative unlike the so called democratic countries where they actively protect companies rather than people.

Agreed: and let's just remember...the Chinese people actually support their government's actions.

There are some minority groups (who don't matter) who are against the PRC, but the Han Chinese mostly prefer this type of government.

 

[merikafyeah]

Some may criticize China for its totalitarianism, but what I see is a country that's doing its best to protect their young minds and making sure they don't become like those in the west. Criticize them all you want, but their kids are actually competitive and able to thrive without living in mom's basement till their 40's.

"Protect" the young minds huh?

The CCP influence is as strong as ever I see.

 

[Guberian]

Agreed: and let's just remember...the Chinese people actually support their government's actions.

There are some minority groups (who don't matter) who are against the PRC, but the Han Chinese mostly prefer this type of government.

Hey buddy thats what happens when your overlords tell you how to think.

 

[VaRmeNsI]

China has already put restrictions on how many hours - and at what hours their school aged children can play video games.

China has restricted television so that "certain lifestyles" are not allowed to be propagated on TV.

China has restricted the amount of time livestreaming may be conducted.

China has restricted its television and media so that anti-China views are not allowed.

China has restricted certain forms of violence and lasciviousness so that their school-aged kids may not see it.

Some may criticize China for its totalitarianism, but what I see is a country that's doing its best to protect their young minds and making sure they don't become like those in the west. Criticize them all you want, but their kids are actually competitive and able to thrive without living in mom's basement till their 40's.

They were more competitive before these restrictions.

 

[brucek]

While I cannot live in a country like that, I salute their initiative unlike the so called democratic countries where they actively protect companies rather than people.

LOL your first thought is this about protecting people? How is limiting the amount of voluntary tips a livestreamer can receive "protecting" either them or the tipper?

This is about protecting the government and specifically the people currently in power in that government.

 

[Bulllee]

I was going to post a relative comment on here..oh well,maybe another day.

 

[BuckarooBonzaii]

Don't worry the One World Order will be here soon to take care of all your needs if you don't mind the CCP writing most of the regulations. Wasn't it Justine Trudeau who admires the CCP dictatorship?

 

[toooooot]

On one side amazing growth in the last 40 years, on the other old power thirsty old f***s who dont anything but power and to rule there till they die.
Communistic Russia did leroy jenkins with its economy which eventually killed it.
I think Chinese lords are making mistakes, but they are making them much more carefully unlike all the other countries who tried to build communism.
I am curious to see what happens of China. As a history book, China is fun to read.

 

[koblongata]

Half brain dead is the key.

 

[McMurdeR]

Some may criticize China for its totalitarianism, but what I see is a country that's doing its best to protect their young minds and making sure they don't become like those in the west. Criticize them all you want, but their kids are actually competitive and able to thrive without living in mom's basement till their 40's.

When people aren't allowed to think for themselves they're robbed of their chance to practice creativity and inventiveness. In any case, it doesn't look like the youth of China are exactly thriving - have you heard the term "lying flat"?

 

[McMurdeR]

Agreed: and let's just remember...the Chinese people actually support their government's actions.

They don't have a while lot of choice!!