China’s Cyberspace Regulator Penalizes Short Video Accounts for Improper Labeling

The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) has intensified its enforcement against short video accounts that fail to label fictional or staged content. Since May, the regulator has overseen the removal of over 241,000 videos and the penalization of 21,000 accounts. Targeted content includes staged 'misery-selling' involving disabled individuals, fabricated delivery driver struggles, and exaggerated family conflicts. The CAC also summoned smaller platforms for failing to enforce labeling requirements, signaling a broader push for transparency in the digital 'attention economy.'

This enforcement marks a significant step in regulating the 'attention economy' in China, specifically targeting creators who use emotional manipulation and staged drama to gain followers. It shifts the burden of transparency onto both creators and platforms.

The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) has announced a series of enforcement actions against short video accounts and platforms that failed to properly label fictional or staged content. According to a report published on July 16, the regulator has intensified its oversight since deploying new labeling requirements in May 2026. The CAC highlighted several categories of violations where creators exploited public emotions without disclosing that their videos were scripted. One major area of concern involved "misery-selling" (卖惨), where accounts used images of disabled individuals or sick children in staged scenarios to solicit sympathy or donations. For instance, accounts like "Love Fills the World" (爱I满人间) were shut down for portraying fictional stories of pregnant disabled wives or terminally ill children. Another targeted category included fabricated stories about delivery drivers. The regulator cited accounts that staged scenes of single fathers delivering food with children or fictional accidents involving luxury cars to mislead the public. Furthermore, the CAC penalized accounts that exaggerated family conflicts, such as mother-in-law disputes or arguments over "bride prices" (彩礼), which the regulator claimed intensified social anxiety. Even "positive energy" content was not exempt. The CAC shut down accounts that faked heroic acts, such as rescuing abandoned newlyweds on highways or helping homeless women in the mountains, labeling these as deceptive attempts to gain trust and followers. In the past two months, major platforms have reportedly cleared over 241,000 videos violating these rules and penalized more than 21,000 accounts. Additionally, approximately 1.275 million videos were corrected or retroactively labeled. The CAC also noted that local cyberspace departments have summoned representatives from smaller platforms that failed to strictly implement the labeling requirements. The regulator stated it will continue to monitor the implementation of these standards and will publicly expose platforms and accounts that fail to comply.