Study Guide: 2025 China Digital Platform Regulations and Compliance

1. What were the primary areas of focus for Douyin’s new regulations announced in August 2025?

Douyin’s August 2025 regulations primarily focused on three main areas: e-commerce livestreaming, group livestream (团播) management, and private message specifications. Additionally, the platform launched a special initiative to govern gossip-related behaviors in livestreams.

2. According to the notice from the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), what is the main goal of the “Qinglang ·整治‘自媒体’发布不实信息” (Qinglang · Rectification of Disinformation Published by ‘Self-Media’) special campaign?

The main goal of the “Qinglang” campaign is to comprehensively address the chaos of “self-media” publishing false information. It aims to strictly crack down on issues like malicious hype, distortion of facts, and publishing unverified information, thereby further regulating the operational behavior of “self-media” and fostering a clear and bright cyberspace.

3. Describe the key issues that led to the “封号潮” (wave of account bans) for KOS (Key Opinion Sales) accounts on Xiaohongshu in 2025.

The wave of KOS account bans on Xiaohongshu was driven by a platform-wide crackdown on accounts operating without the required professional qualifications, particularly in highly regulated industries like medicine, education, and finance. This included issues like “KOS挂靠” (improperly affiliated KOS accounts) and uncertified marketing, which led to accounts being hidden from search results, having their content restricted, or being permanently banned.

4. Based on China’s Personal Information Protection Law (PIPL), what constitutes “personal information,” and what is explicitly excluded from this definition?

China’s PIPL defines “personal information” as any kind of information related to an identified or identifiable natural person, recorded by electronic or other means. Information that has undergone anonymization processing is explicitly excluded from this definition.

5. What types of “guarantee-based promises” are strictly forbidden in the promotion of educational courses on Douyin as of February 2025?

Douyin’s new regulations for educational courses strictly forbid any explicit or implicit promises regarding outcomes. This includes guarantees about passing exams, obtaining degrees or certificates, achieving academic progression, or any specific training results, using phrases like “guaranteed to pass” or “100% success rate.”

6. What specific action must be taken when publishing content created using AI or other synthesis technologies on platforms like Xiaohongshu and WeChat Video Accounts?

Content generated using AI, deep learning, or virtual reality must be conspicuously labeled to avoid misleading users. Platforms like Xiaohongshu require an “AI-generated” tag, and WeChat Video Accounts mandate that such content be clearly marked to prevent confusion.

7. How did Xiaohongshu’s 2025 algorithm update, specifically the upgraded CES (Content Experience Score) model, change the way it evaluates user interaction?

Xiaohongshu’s updated CES model introduced differentiated weights for different types of user interactions. “Follows” are given the highest weight as they reflect long-term user value, followed by comments and shares which indicate social propagation, while likes have a comparatively lower weight.

8. According to the newly revised Anti-Unfair Competition Law, what are the new obligations for network platform operators regarding fair competition?

The revised law requires platform operators to explicitly define fair competition rules within their service agreements and establish mechanisms for handling complaints. They must take necessary actions against platform businesses engaged in unfair practices, preserve records, and report these incidents to the relevant supervisory departments.

9. List the four categories of problems targeted by the “Qinglang” campaign against disinformation from “self-media.”

The “Qinglang” campaign targets four main problems: 1) Maliciously蹭炒 (riding on coattails of hot topics) to mislead the public; 2) Using various methods to distort facts; 3) Failing to label sources, passing off falsehoods as truth; and 4) Spreading false information in professional fields.

10. What are the consequences for violating Douyin’s new rules regarding sharing contact information (like phone or WeChat) in private messages?

If a user is detected sharing phone numbers, WeChat details, or other external contact information in private messages on Douyin, their private message function can be disabled. The duration of the ban can range from a few hours for minor offenses to a permanent loss of the private message function for severe violations.

Glossary of Key Terms

Term	Definition
自媒体 (Zì méitǐ / Self-media)	Refers to independent, often individual, creators and accounts that publish content on digital platforms. The “Qinglang” campaign specifically targets the spread of unverified or false information by these entities.
清朗 (Qīnglǎng)	Literally “clear and bright,” this is the name of a series of special campaigns directed by the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) to “clean up” the online environment by targeting specific issues like disinformation, celebrity fan culture, and other content deemed harmful.
个人信息 (Personal Information)	As defined by the Personal Information Protection Law (PIPL), it is any information related to an identified or identifiable natural person recorded electronically or otherwise. It excludes information that has been anonymized.
敏感个人信息 (Sensitive Personal Information)	A subset of personal information that, if leaked or used illegally, could easily harm a person’s dignity or endanger their personal or property safety. It includes biometrics, religious beliefs, specific identities, medical health, financial accounts, and location data.
个人信息处理者 (Personal Information Processor)	An organization or individual that independently determines the purpose and method of processing personal information, as defined by the PIPL.
自动化决策 (Automated Decision-Making)	The activity of using computer programs to automatically analyze or predict an individual’s behavior, interests, financial status, or health, and make decisions based on that analysis. The PIPL grants individuals rights regarding such decisions.
匿名化 (Anonymization)	The process of rendering personal information in such a way that it cannot be used to identify a specific individual and cannot be reversed.
KOS (Key Opinion Sales)	Accounts on platforms like Xiaohongshu, often presented with a professional identity (e.g., doctor, teacher), used for marketing and sales purposes. Recent regulations have cracked down on KOS accounts operating without proper, verifiable qualifications.
水下种草 (Shuǐ xià zhǒng cǎo)	Literally “underwater grass-planting,” a colloquial term for grey-area, unofficial, or non-compliant marketing and user acquisition tactics. The 2025 regulatory trend is pushing businesses away from these methods.
蓝V (Lán V / Blue V)	Refers to a verified official account for a business or organization on platforms like Xiaohongshu, indicated by a blue “V” checkmark. Transitioning to Blue V-centric strategies is a key compliance move.
薯店 (Shǔ diàn)	The official name for a store on the Xiaohongshu platform. New regulations require that the sale of certain items, such as educational materials, must be conducted through a registered “Shu Dian” rather than directing users to private channels.
CES评分 (CES Score)	The Content Experience Score used by Xiaohongshu’s algorithm to quantify the value of a piece of content. The 2025 update assigned different weights to interactions, with “follows” being the most valuable.
诱导互动 (Inducing Interaction)	A prohibited behavior on platforms like Douyin where creators use promises of rewards, misleading claims, or other tactics to artificially inflate engagement metrics like likes, shares, and comments.
团播 (Tuán bō / Group Livestream)	A livestreaming format on Douyin involving multiple hosts. New regulations specifically address the content and conduct within these streams, prohibiting vulgarity, suggestive behavior, and excessive photo/video editing.
私域引流 (Sī yù yǐn liú)	The practice of diverting traffic from a public platform (like Xiaohongshu or Douyin) to a private channel controlled by the business (like a WeChat group or personal account). This is now heavily restricted or banned by many platforms.