tech

Chinese live-streaming platforms are now required to collect personal information and “social credit codes” from their users so internet regulators may “immediately handle” any behavior deemed illegal or “immoral” by the ruling Communist Party, the Chinese government mandated Friday. According to an April 23 regulation issued by seven Chinese government agencies, including China’s Cyberspace Administration and China’s Ministry of Public Security: [L]ivestreamers will need to provide their real names as well as social credit codes to the livestreaming marketing platforms they use. The platforms will in turn have to submit their identity information and other information concerning tax to local tax authorities. Livestreamers will also need to be above the age of 16 unless they’re under supervision of an adult [sic]. “In addition, these platforms will step up monitoring of livestreaming content and must immediately handle any illegal and bad information,” China’s state-run Global Times noted. The mandate takes effect May 25 and “requires livestreaming platforms to blacklist those with records of serious violations or immorality,” according to China Daily, a newspaper owned by the publicity department of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). “The regulation … stipulates people engaged in livestreamed marketing must provide true, accurate, and necessary information