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China to ban minors from tipping livestreamers, watching after 10 p.m.

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Austin Li Jiaqi, a beauty blogger from China, speaks to a dog while livestreaming via the Taobao e-commerce platform in Shanghai on October 26, 2018. Li is the most popular online beauty blogger for China at 27 years old, and is nicknamed “Lipstick brother”.

VCG | Getty Images

China’s broadcast regulator issued new regulations on Saturday prohibiting minors below 16 from viewing livestreaming content after 10.

Online livestreaming platforms must also be prohibited from tipping minors. This includes the practice of purchasing them virtual gifts that can be exchanged for cash.

China’s State Administration of Radio and Television stated in a statement, that livestreaming platforms had led to minors engaging in tipping and causing serious damage to their mental and physical health.

China’s livestreaming market is growing quickly. The real-time online selling phenomenon — also called “live commerce” or “livestreaming e-commerce” — took off in China after the onset of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020.

These platforms allow consumers to buy goods direct from them via live video, which can sometimes last hours. Other than individual web personalities, these sellers include technology giants like  AlibabaKuaishou, Taobao market and Pinduoduo.

These companies were in the top 1% last year reported an explosion in livestreaming activity.

— This is breaking news. Keep checking back for more updates.

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