On 23 April 2021, “Administrative Measures for Livestreaming Marketing (for Trial Implementation)” (the “Measures”, 网络直播营销管理办法(试行)) were jointly released by the Cyberspace Administration of China, the Ministry of Public Security, Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, State Taxation Administration, State Administration for Market Regulation and National Radio and Television Administration. The Measures came into force as of 25 May 2021.
The Measures is applicable to commercial marketing activities in the form of live video broadcasting, audio broadcasting, live streaming with photos and words or a combination of multiple livestreaming forms via Internet, applications, applets, or otherwise within the territory of the People’s Republic of China.
Pursuant to the Measures, livestreaming program publishers engaged in livestreaming marketing activities consist of two types, livestreaming studio operators and livestreaming marketers. Specific requirements are made therein for the relevant promotion activities, online and offline livestreaming venues, verification of information on goods and services, use of virtual images, and business cooperation with service agencies for live-streaming marketers etc.
The Measures also strengthens the administration of livestreaming marketing platforms, and provides in detail the security assessment, record-filing or licensing, technical support, platform rules, identity authentication and dynamic verification, regulation of the highly risky, and illegal activities of livestreaming marketing platforms and so on.