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China's new influencer law goes into effect
Croatia🏛️ PoliticsCenter8/31/2026

China's new influencer law goes into effect

A new Chinese law regulating influencers comes into effect on September 1st, targeting multi-channel network (MCN) agencies that manage and distribute content on platforms like Douyin, Xiaohongshua, and Bilibili. The regulation, officially titled 'Regulation on Management of Multichannel Distribution Services of Internet Information Content,' was jointly issued by five state bodies led by China’s Cyberspace Administration. It requires unregistered MCNs to register with provincial cyberspace authorities and mandates that existing agencies align their activities within 30 days of the law’s implementation. Platforms hosting these agencies must verify their qualifications before accepting them and report this information to the relevant authorities. The law prohibits behaviors such as inciting hatred, exploiting minors or people with disabilities for profit, falsifying views, likes, followers, and ratings, glorifying crime and disasters, and organizing or encouraging online bullying. Agencies must appoint content managers, maintain monitoring teams, and sign clear contracts with creators defining responsibility for information security. The law emphasizes protecting minors through age-

A new Chinese regulation governing influencers comes into effect on September 1, imposing strict rules on multi-channel network (MCN) agencies that manage and distribute content created by influencers on platforms such as Douyin, Xiaohongshua, and Bilibili. The regulation targets these intermediary organizations rather than individual creators, aiming to address issues at their root by holding the agencies accountable for the content they oversee. The official name of the regulation is "Regulations on the Management of Multichannel Distribution Services for Internet Information Content." It was jointly issued on May 29, 2026, by five state bodies led by China’s Cyberspace Administration (CAC). The regulation requires all unregistered MCN agencies to register with the relevant provincial cyberspace administration, specifying "multichannel distribution service for internet information content" as part of their business activities. Already registered agencies have 30 days from the regulation's enforcement date to align their registered operations with the new requirements. Platforms hosting these agencies must verify their qualifications before accepting them and report the partnership details to the relevant authorities within 30 working days, a requirement that applies even after any subsequent changes. The regulations explicitly prohibit a range of behaviors, including inciting hatred and regional discrimination, exploiting minors and individuals with disabilities for profit, fabricating views, likes, followers, and ratings, glorifying crime and disasters, and organizing or encouraging online peer-to-peer violence. Agencies are required to appoint a head responsible for content management, maintain a dedicated team for content oversight, and sign contracts with creators clearly defining responsibilities regarding information security. If a creator violates laws or platform rules, the agency must immediately suspend or terminate cooperation and notify the platform accordingly. Special attention is given to protecting minors, including verifying user age and obtaining parental or guardian consent, while livestream sales require mechanisms for product selection and mandatory pre-broadcast supervision. China’s MCN sector has grown rapidly from a niche to an industry involving tens of thousands of agencies, according to estimates by research firm iiMedia. By 2022, the number of agencies had already exceeded 40,000. These agencies currently manage approximately 100,000 signed influencers, who collectively have over two billion followers across all platforms, based on data linked to Hurun rankings reported by Chinese business media. The key opinion leader (KOL) marketing market is estimated at around 100 billion yuan (approximately 13 billion euros), growing annually by about 16 percent. Top livestream sellers such as Li Jiaqi or former star Viya earn incomes measured in tens of millions to over 100 million yuan per year (about 13 million euros). The industry is highly pyramidal, with a small number of mega-influencers controlling a large share of total traffic. This rapid growth has long been accompanied by weaker regulatory oversight. In 2022, China’s Cyberspace Administration warned during its annual "cleaning up the cyber space" campaign about the problems arising from this lack of control. According to analysts tracking the Chinese market, the goal of the regulations is not to suppress legitimate business operations of MCN agencies but to treat them "as part of China’s information structure, not as wild-west marketing," as noted in an analysis by consulting firm China Skinny. This same source warns that brands and platforms will need to conduct more rigorous checks on partners before entering agreements, covering everything from the registration status of the agency to how it approves scenarios for livestream appearances. In practice, a wave of formalization is expected: smaller, unregistered agencies operating in the gray area will either have to go through registration or cease operations, while larger platforms will likely implement stricter compliance measures. The impact of these regulations could reshape the landscape of digital content creation and distribution in China, ensuring greater accountability and transparency in the industry.

How this report was made. Objective News wrote this report from 4 source articles, using AI-assisted synthesis under our methodology. It is our own text, not a copy of any single outlet. Read our methodology.

Responsible editor: Matej BašaSpotted an error? Report it

4 reports

Večernji list logoVečernji listIndependentCenterFactual 97Objective 888/31/2026
Chinese influencers make 13 billion euros a year: New law comes with a series of restrictions

The article discusses a new Chinese law targeting multi-channel network (MCN) agencies that manage influencers, imposing strict regulations to curb harmful content and protect minors. The law, effective September 1st, requires all MCN agencies to register and comply with new rules, including banning hate speech, exploiting minors, and manipulating likes and views. It also mandates content oversight teams and clear contractual responsibilities between agencies and creators. The law aims to address issues at the source by regulating the agencies rather than individual influencers. The industry, valued at over 100 billion yuan, has grown significantly, with over 40,000 agencies managing more than 100,000 registered influencers.

Bias read (Center): The article presents the new regulation as a state-led effort to control content and protect minors, which could be seen as a regulatory measure rather than overtly ideological. While the law introduces restrictions, the tone remains objective, focusing on compliance requirements and industry impact

Why factuality (97): This article accurately reports the key facts about the new Chinese regulation, including the effective date, the focus on MCNs, the name of the regulation, and the specific prohibited activities. It also includes relevant details about registration requirements and enforcement timelines. The inform

Why objectivity (88): The article maintains a relatively neutral tone throughout, presenting the facts without clear bias. Some phrasing, such as 'Kineski influenceri godišnje zarade 13 milijardi eura,' introduces context but remains factual. Overall, the article avoids strong subjective language.

Index.hr logoIndex.hrIndependentCenterFactual 96Objective 878/31/2026
China's new influencer law goes into effect

A new Chinese law regulating influencers comes into effect on September 1st, targeting multi-channel network (MCN) agencies that manage and distribute content on platforms like Douyin, Xiaohongshua, and Bilibili. The regulation, officially titled 'Regulation on Management of Multichannel Distribution Services of Internet Information Content,' was jointly issued by five state bodies led by China’s Cyberspace Administration. It requires unregistered MCNs to register with provincial cyberspace authorities and mandates that existing agencies align their activities within 30 days of the law’s implementation. Platforms hosting these agencies must verify their qualifications before accepting them and report this information to the relevant authorities. The law prohibits behaviors such as inciting hatred, exploiting minors or people with disabilities for profit, falsifying views, likes, followers, and ratings, glorifying crime and disasters, and organizing or encouraging online bullying. Agencies must appoint content managers, maintain monitoring teams, and sign clear contracts with creators defining responsibility for information security. The law emphasizes protecting minors through age-

Bias read (Center): The article provides a factual overview of a new regulatory framework introduced by the Chinese government aimed at managing the influencer industry. It does not exhibit overtly biased language, nor does it favor one side over another. The focus is on the legal requirements imposed on MCN agencies,

Why factuality (96): The article accurately summarizes the new Chinese regulation, including the effective date, the focus on MCNs, the name of the regulation, and the prohibited activities. It also covers administrative requirements for registered agencies and platforms. The information matches the cross-source consens

Why objectivity (87): The article maintains a largely neutral tone, presenting the facts without overt bias. However, the headline 'Stupa na snagu novi kineski zakon o influencerima' suggests a slight emphasis on the regulation’s significance, which may introduce a subtle framing bias.

HRT (Hrvatska radiotelevizija) logoHRT (Hrvatska radiotelevizija)State / PublicCenterFactual 95Objective 858/31/2026
China's new influencer law goes into effect

China has enacted new regulations targeting influencers and their management agencies, effective September 1st. The rules apply to multi-channel network (MCN) agencies that manage influencers and distribute content on platforms like Douyin, Xiaohongshua, and Bilibili. These regulations aim to address issues at the source by holding agencies accountable rather than individual influencers. The law prohibits activities such as inciting hatred, regional discrimination, exploiting minors or people with disabilities for profit, falsifying views, likes, followers, and ratings, glorifying crime and disasters, and organizing or encouraging online bullying. Agencies must appoint content managers, maintain monitoring teams, and ensure creators sign contracts defining responsibility for information security. They must also verify user age and parental consent for minors and implement product selection mechanisms for live-stream sales.

Bias read (Center): The article provides a factual overview of China's new regulations on influencers and their management agencies without overtly favoring any side. It outlines the legal requirements and implications neutrally, focusing on the structure and scope of the regulations rather than presenting a biased or煽

Why factuality (95): The article provides accurate details about the new Chinese regulation targeting MCNs, including the effective date (September 1st), the name of the regulation, the issuing bodies, and specific prohibitions such as inciting hatred and exploiting minors. The only minor issue is that some sentences ap

Why objectivity (85): The article presents the information in a mostly neutral manner, focusing on the content of the regulation without overt bias. However, phrases like 'novi kineski zakon' and 'propisi se zapravo odnose na višeprogramske agencije' suggest a slightly interpretive tone rather than strictly objective rep

tportal logotportalIndependentCenterFactual 94Objective 828/31/2026
China moves into a major showdown with influencers: New bans go into effect

Kineska vlada donijela je nove propise koji regulišu aktivnosti višeprogramske agencije (MCN) i influencerima. Propisi, formalno nazvani 'Uredba o upravljanju uslugama multikanalne distribucije internetskog informacijskog sadržaja', obuhvaćaju registraciju MCN agencija, kontrolu sadržaja, zaštitu maloljetnika i zabranu nekoliko ključnih praksi kao što su poticanje mržnje, iskorištavanje osoba s invaliditetom, lažne ocjene i organizacija internetskog nasilja. Agencije su obavezne da imenuju voditelje za sadržaj, održavaju nadzorne timove i potpišu ugovore sa kreativcima. Kineski MCN sektor, koji je rastao iz niše u industriju od desetaka tisuća agencija, ima procijenjeno tržište od oko 100 milijardi juana (13 milijardi eura) s brzinom rasta od 16 posto godišnje.

Bias read (Center): Članak objektivno opisuje propise koje je donijela kineska vlada, bez evidentnog političkog slanja. Iako se radi o regulativnom pitanju koje može biti politički kontroverzno, tekst ne pokazuje značajan levi ili desni naglašavaj, već neutralno predstavlja zakonske promjene i ekonomsku analizu sektora

Why factuality (94): The article accurately conveys the main points of the new Chinese regulation, including the effective date, the focus on MCNs, the name of the regulation, and the prohibited activities. It also mentions additional requirements for agencies, such as appointing content managers and maintaining complia

Why objectivity (82): The article is generally neutral but uses more emotionally charged language compared to others, such as 'kreće u veliki obračun s influencerima.' This phrase implies a stronger stance or interpretation, reducing the perceived neutrality of the piece.

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