China’s top internet regulator said it will establish a negative list to prohibit celebrity-related content from promoting distorted values, including abnormal aesthetics, hyping of vulgar scandals, and content that induces fans to blindly idolize celebrities or hype the comeback of entertainers who have illegal and unethical records.

The notice released by Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) on Tuesday listed 15 measures in four aspects to strengthen how the online information about celebrities should be presented – content-oriented, information presentation, account management, mechanism of public opinion. 

Celebrities should not induce fans to illegally fundraise or provoke confrontation among “fan cultures,” the notice says, adding that celebrities who were recently involved in unethical and illegal behaviors will be strictly prevented from reviving their careers. 

It also said internet regulators will further strengthen positive online content about stars and establish a negative list to prohibit celebrity-related content that promotes abnormal aesthetics, hypes vulgar scandals and induces fans to blindly idolize celebrities, and leads to exposing personal information of other celebrities. 

Platforms should manage celebrity-related accounts under hierarchical management, monitor and establish warning mechanisms for accounts with certain amount of followers. Accounts that publish biased, confusing information that provokes confrontation and manipulates public opinions should be punished accordingly. 

Multi-Channel Networks (MCN) partner companies that manage those accounts, will also face punishment based on the gravity of the incidents, such as restricting their business promotion and profits online.

The CAC had recently also issued a slew of measures to enhance rectification with specific measures over the sick parts of the entertainment industry.

A notice released by the CAC in August had asked provincial offices to heighten the efforts to rectify the fan circle chaos and make entertainment-related platforms to ward off irrational idol worshipping.

Major Chinese internet platforms in September also pledged to clean up vulgar online content and deny law-breaking or immoral entertainers the opportunity to come under the spotlight again amid a campaign to tackle lingering problems in the entertainment industry.

Global Times