Standards and Detailed Rules for the Review of Online Short Video Content (2021)

Comparison of Short-Video Content Restrictions 2019/2021

Because of the unexpected interest in the detailed list of content restrictions for short video platforms, I have made this comparison chart showing what has actually changed since the 2019 version. Due to the unexpected interest in the recently updated list of 100 content restrictions for short video platforms, I have made a comparison table showing…

[Source]http://politics.people.com.cn/n1/2021/1215/c1001-32309186.html

These Detailed Rules are formulated on the basis of relevant state laws and regulations, the "Provisions on the Administration of Internet Audiovisual Programming Services" and the " General Provisions on Review of Audivisual Program Content" so as to raise the quality of short video content; to contain the broadcast and spread of incorrect, fake, and harmful content; and to create a clear and positive online space.

I. Basic Standards for Review of Online Short Video Content

(1) The 10 standards provided for in article 16 of the "Provisions on the Administration of Internet Audiovisual Program Services".

(2) The 94 standards listed in article 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11 of Chapter IV of the "General Provisions on Reviewing of Content in Online Audivisual Programs"

II. Specific Detailed Rules for Review of Online Short Video Content

Based on the basic standards for review of online short video content, the following specific content must not appear in short video programs, their titles, names, comments, Danmaku, emojis, and language, performance, subtitles, scenery, music, and sound effects:

(1) Content that endangers the socialist system with Chinese characteristics

For Example：

1. That which attacks, denies, harms, or goes against the guiding ideology and conduct guidelines of socialism with Chinese characteristics;

2. That which ridicules, satirizes, opposes, or disparages the latest theoretical achievements in the Sinification of Marxism or its guiding status;

3. That which attacks or denies the most essential characteristics of socialism with Chinese characteristics, or attacks, denies, or weaken the position of the core of the Party Central Committee and the entire Party;

4. Departing from the actual circumstances of the world, country, or Party by using the developmental history of the Party or country at one stage to negate the development history of the Party and the country at another stage, engaging in historical nihilism;

5. That which goes against the Resolution of the CPC Central Committee on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party over the Past Century, or that mocks, denies, or attacks the major policies that have been put forward, major measures that have been promoted, or major work that has been advance by the Party and State since the establishment of new China.

6. Distorting, denying, attacking, or insulting the drafting or revisions of the Constitution or other major laws and regulations, or mocking, satirizing, opposing, or distorting specific provisions in them;

7. Using entertainment models to alter or interpret essential systems, basic systems, and important systems that support the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, or improperly using their dedicated names and terms.

(2) Content Dividing the Nation

For Example：

8. Opposing, attacking, or distorting "one China", "or one country, two systems";

9. Words, actions, and symbols that embody Taiwan independence, Hong Kong independence, Tibetan Independence, or Xinjiang Independence; including videos materials, works, words, speech, images, text, reactionary banners, slogans, and all other forms (except for broadcast of central news units news reports);

10. Programs, entertainment reports, or promotion of works that that were created by artists, organizations, or groups, that advocate secession such as independence for Taiwan, Hong Kong, Xinjiang, or Tibet, or that they participated in the creation of;

11. Descriptions involving territorial and historical events that are not in line with national findings;

(3) Content Harming the Nation's Image

For Example：

12. Derogating, sullying, or parodying the image, spirit, and disposition of the Chinese state and people;

13. Insulting the national flag or national emblem by methods such as burning, destroying, painting, tarnishing, trampling, or mocking them; or using the national flag and national emblem in inappropriate entertainment or commercial activities and other such forums;

14. Altering or mocking the national anthem; using the national anthem in inappropriate commercial and entertainment activities; or singing the national anthem in an inappropriate situation; so as to harm the dignity of the Nation;

15. Clipping portions of speeches by Party and state leaders that might distort the original meaning or cause ambiguity, or using methods such as making gifs from video clips to distort or exaggerate the tone, meaning, or posture of Party or state leaders' language;

16. Having specially cast actors or regular people dress up as or imitate Party and state leaders' images to participate in performances, speeches, photo shoots, and other such activities without authorization or approval from the state, and so as to obtain a benefit or grandstand and causing a negative impact (except in lawfully approved video works or artistic performances);

17. Having persons in programs wear clothing with Party or state leaders' portraits on them, and causing the portraits to make strange expressions by wiggling or folding the clothing;

(4) Content Harming the Image of Revolutionary Leaders or Heroes and Martyrs

For Example：

18. Vilifying, distorting, mocking, profaning, or deny the deeds, and spirit of revolutionary leaders, heroes and martyrs;

19. Improperly using and parodying the names or images of revolutionary leaders or heroes and martyrs;

(5) Content Disclosing State Secrets

For Example：

20. Disclosing documents or speeches of any level of state government and Party organs that have not been made public;

21. Disclosing the content, procedures, and work arrangements of special projects of all levels of state government and Party organ that have not been made public;

22. Disclosing state secrets in areas such as national defense, science and technology, or the military;

23. Unauthorized publication of information relating to the personal work or lives of party and state leaders, or information on the family members of party and government leaders;

(6) Content Undermining Social Stability

For Example：

24. Stirring up societal hot spots or intensifying social contradictions, impacting public order and public safety;

25. The dissemination of information on disasters not published by provincial level or higher news units;

26. Programs that were not produced by news units on the impact or consequences of disasters or public incidents;

(7) Content Harmful to Ethnic and Territorial Unity

For Example：

27. Using language, names, dress, images, music, and so forth to make fun of, ridicule, or hurt ethnic and geographical sentiment undermining stability and unity;

28. Coloring normal security and safety measures as ethnic prejudice and antagonism;

29. Transmitting content that might lead to misunderstandings;

30. Portraying unique ethnic customs and religious beliefs as novelties, or even smearing or insulting them;

31. Taking a stance of approval or praise towards brutal and bloody historical inter-ethnic wars of conquest;

(8) Content Counter to State Religious Policies

For Example：

32. Displays of religious extremism, extremist ideology, and cult organizations, or their primary members and activities, as well as their 'rites' and ideology;

33. Inappropriately comparisons of the merits of different religions or sects, that might lead to disputes and conflicts;

34. Excessive display and promotion of religious doctrine, canon, and ritual content;

35. Discussing religious extremism and lawful practice of religion together as the same thing, painting normal religious faith and activities as extremist ideology and movements, or explaining extremist ideology and movements as being normal religious faith and activity;

36. Content making fun of or ridiculing religion, as well as all types of malicious speech hurtful to the ethnic and religious feelings;

(9) Content Spreading Terrorism

For Example：

37. Presenting domestic or foreign terrorist organizations;

38. Detailed displays of terrorist acts;

39. Spreading terrorism and its positions;

40. Broadcasting video (other than open Central News Media Reports) of purposeful, planned, and organized violent terrorist attacks carried out through methods such as self-immolation, suicide bombs, or rioting and looting; or transmitting piecemeal reports and video clips of these events that distort the truth;

(10) Content Distorting or Belittling Exceptional Traditional Ethnic Culture

For Example：

41. Adulteration of famous works or distortion of the spiritual substance of original works;

42. Subverting the personages of important characters in classics;

43. Going against basic historical findings, arbitrarily distorting history;

44. Spoofing history, especially revolutionary history, or presenting it in an excessively entertaining manner;

(11) Content Maliciously Damaging or Harming the Image of the State's Civil Servants such as from People's Military, State Security, Police, Administration, or Justice, or the image of Communist Party Members

For Example：

45. Maliciously snipping clips of law enforcement personnel to make normal law enforcement activity into violent law enforcement activity;

46. Broadcast without verification of persons wearing military uniforms fighting, gathering, demonstrating, protesting, or petitioning; or posing as soldiers, state security, police, administrative or judicial civil servants, or other state civil servants, to carry deceive others or persuade others;

47. Using overly exaggerated language when presenting the image of the People's Liberation Army, having the problem of turning it into entertainment;

(12) Content Glamorizing the Negative or Negative Characters

For Example：

48. Giving a platform all kinds of violators and criminals, including those who use drugs or solicit prostitutes, and organized crime figures, emphasizing the display of the positive in these;

49. Singing the praises of negative persons;

(13) Content Promoting Feudal Superstition Contrary to the Scientific Spirit

For Example：

50. Creating channels, sections, or personal home pages on vision quests, astrology, witchcraft, voodoo dolls, or Taoist rites; promoting the practice of sorcery and other feudal superstitious thinking;

51. Advocating the use of magic to change one's fate;

52. Using classic folk myths to promote feudal superstitious thinking;

(14) Content Promoting a Negative and Decadent Outlook on Life or World View and Values

For Example：

53. Propagating bad values ​​such as traffic worship, excessive hedonism, flaunting wealth and worshiping money, and demonstrating a corrupt lifestyle that goes against ethics and morals;

54. Presenting the disorder of fandom and negative fan culture, calling for stirring up traffic worship, distorted aesthetics, celebrity idolization, irrational statements and support from fans, celebrity scandals, and so forth;

55. Advocating and promoting a culture of despair, suicide games;

56. Showing sympathy or support for extramarital affairs or one-night stands;

(15) Content depicting violence and gore, or showing of repulsive conduct and horror scenes

For Example：

57. Showing unrestrained actions of underworld forces such as gang fights, murders, violent debt collection, recruiting thugs, or hiring hitmen;

56. Detailed displays of brutal, cruel, terrorist, or extremist criminal conduct, and physical or mental torture;

59. Detailed displaying of extreme agitated physiological states, or distorted expressions following drug use, or displaying various tools and methods for taking drugs that are easily imitated;

60. Careful display of vulgar behavior and culture of distorted aesthetics;

61. Detailed displaying o gambling devices such as slot machines, coin pushers, Dayuji fishing gambling games, dividers, cheat machines, and other gambling devices, as well as gambling techniques and conduct such as card sharping or preventing card sharping;

62. Presenting images, dialog, music, or sound effects of excessive physical suffering or psychological hysteria, that might create strong sensory and emotional stimulation in ordinary viewers, that might cause physical and psychological panic, anxiety, hatred, nausea, or other discomfort;

63. Promoting the use of violence to confront violence and promoting extreme vengeful feelings and action;

(16) Content Showing Pornography and Obscenity, Depicting Crass and Vulgar Tastes, or Promoting Unhealthy and Non-mainstream Attitudes towards Love and Marriage

For Example：

64. Concrete displays of prostitution, solicitation, fornication, rape, and other such situations, directly displays of sexual behavior, moaning, bedroom sounds, and other such sounds or special effects;

65. Having pornographic information appear in videos to lure and draw traffic;

66. Filming or displaying "red light districts", nightclubs with sexual transactions, or bath and massage establishments in novelty-seeking publicity;

67. Performance or display of abnormal sexual relations and sexual behaviors;

68. Presenting and promoting unhealthy views and non-mainstream states of love and marriage;

69. Intensive and detailed shows of kissing, caressing, showering, or similar indirect expressions or suggestions of sexual behavior purely for the purpose of sensory stimulation; pictures, dialogue, music, or sound effects that are clearly sexually suggestive, sexually harassing, sexual insulting or have similar effects; or covering up male and female sex organs with only limbs, covering up private parts of the human body with very small covers, or having overly revealing clothes;

70. Using coarse language or displaying vulgar behavior;

71. Using veiled or vulgar language to express content causing association with sexual content or organs;

72. Using 'full version', 'unedited version', 'uncut version', 'deleted scenes', or 'complete version', in the title, genre, or promotion of videos where was content removed in review from adult films, erotic films, or level 3 films [HK rating system restricting to 18+ yrs old].

73. Using sexually suggestive text such as 'hidden camera', 'flashing', or 'dew point' [a slang word that refers to usually incidental exposure, along the lines of 'nipslip' or 'crotch shot'] or images as video titles, genres, or in their promotion;

(17) Content Insulting, Defaming, Belittling, or Characaturing Others

For Example：

74. Insulting, defaming, belittling, or caricaturing the images or reputations of historical figures and other real persons;

75. Belittling or caricaturing the leaders of other countries that might lead to international disputes or cause a negative international impact;

76. Insulting, or belittling the professional identity, social status, identity, or health status of others;

(18) Content that is contrary to social morals, lowbrow or vulgar, or has a serious tendency towards making all things entertainment

For Example：

77. Mockingly portraying major natural disasters, accidents, terrorist incidents, wars, and other disaster scenarios;

78. Using an affirmative or praising tone, or methods that encourage imitation, to present the attacking or humiliation of others, or filthy language,

79. Shallow content that violates public order and good customs or disturbs the order of public places;

80. Spreading fake charity or fake positive energy through means such as fake facts on charitable donations or fabricating or coloring others' tragic stories;

(19) Content that is not Conducive to the Healthy Growth of Minors;

For Example：

81. Showing minor's young love, as well as smoking, drinking, fighting, abusing drugs, and other negative conduct;

82. Making characters too exaggerated or strange, having a negative impact on minors;

83. Using minors to produce negative programs;

84. Violating the lawful rights and interests of minors, or harming the physical and psychological health of minors;

(20) Content Promoting or Glamourising Historical Wars of Aggression or Colonial History

For Example：

85. Promoting fascism, ethnic extremism, or racism;

86. Not distinguishing between fact and fiction, mislocating, disregarding, or ignoring acts of aggression by the unjust party or highlighting certain mistakes by the just party;

87. Using language, titles, or images, that are tainted by colonialism;

(21) Other Content that Violates Relevant National Provisions or Social Mores and Norms

For Example：

88. Using overly entertaining methods of displaying or explaining political content, classical culture, or solemn history, eliminating mainstream values, and either crudely downplay or sophisticatedly disparage mainstream values ;

89. Engaging in programs produced by designated organizations or individuals opposing China, opposing the Party, separatist organizations, cults, or terrorist organizations, or in which they participated in the production, as well as establishing channels, sections, home pages, or accounts. for them;

90. Violating rules to carry out news collection or broadcast involving politics, economics, the military, diplomacy, or major social, cultural, scientific, health, education, or sport activities or incidents or other major sensitive activities and incidents;

91. Programs that those who break the law or commit crimes and scandals produced or participated in the production of, or that justify violations, crimes, and scandals;

92. Playing clips from movies, television, or online video that the state has not approved, all times of foreign audiovisual programs or clips that have not been approved for import, or audiovisual programs and clips that have already been banned by the state.

93. All types of audiovisual programs and clips such as from movies, television programs, or online audiovideo, that have been edited or altered without authorization;

94. Violating personal privacy, maliciously exposing others' persons, health, private residence, marital relations, private space, and private activities;

95. Abusing or wrongfully using symbols, slogans, titles, or language that is already clearly designated in relevant state provisions;

96. Destroying the ecology and environment, torturing animals, hunting or eating nationally protected animal species;

97. Displaying individuals in possession of dangerous and controlled items with lethal or harmful force;

98. Inducing and instigating the public to participate in virtual currency "mining", trading, or speculation;

99. Embedding information on products and services that violate laws and regulations in programs, tricking or misleading the public;

100. Other content that violates laws, regulations, public order, or good customs.