China Tightens Rules on Live Stream Tipping, Restricts Minors

China's internet regulator has introduced new rules for live stream tipping, banning children under eight from the practice and introducing a tiered system for older minors, as part of a broader effort to curb manipulative inducements and irrational spending behaviour.

The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) announced the live-streaming regulations on Monday after unveiling them on April 4, banning platforms from allowing children under eight to tip content creators. Under a new tiered system, platforms must obtain guardians’ consent before allowing users aged eight to 16 to tip, and must verify either guardians’ approval or proof of income for those above 16.

This marks an adjustment to a 2022 rule, which banned all minors from tipping live streamers.

The new regulations also require the tipping rules to be publicly disclosed and clarify the conditions for live stream accounts to enable monetisation features. Additionally, platforms must provide tipping limits and notification functions, regulate rankings and interactions, and establish a list of prohibited tipping and monetisation activities.

As the live-streaming industry has evolved in recent years, some streamers have used vulgar content or fabricated personas to induce, or even deceive, users into tipping, sparking a strong public backlash, the CAC said in a statement. “It is therefore necessary to introduce timely policies to systematically regulate live stream tipping.”