An ad of Douyin is seen in an underground passage in Shanghai in May. Photo: VCG

Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, has taken a strong stance against vulgar content, banning 22 accounts as part of a crackdown targeting sexually explicit posts, profit-seeking behavior, fraud and other irregular activities, according to a statement released Tuesday by the platform.

Among the banned accounts, two with millions of followers were found to have posted sexually explicit content on Douyin, while also distributing a large volume of explicit and low-quality content on other platforms. Some accounts were using nicknames, avatars, and comments to promote redirection to third-party platforms featuring explicit and vulgar content, and even engaging in fraudulent activities, according to the statement.

As a result, Douyin has imposed an indefinite ban on these 22 accounts and has taken measures to remove their illegitimately acquired followers, as well as revoking their permission for live streaming and live commerce.

The announcement by Douyin was made following a Monday notice from the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), which emphasized the need to strengthen the management of “self-media” accounts. The notice clarified the responsibilities of websites and platforms, and urged a crackdown on illegal activities by self-media accounts to promote a healthy online public opinion environment.

Among the 13 requirements outlined in the notice, one specifically aims to restrict profit-making through improper conduct. “Self-media accounts that create vulgar personas and internet influencers that violate public order and good customs, exploiting trending topics through coordinated accounts, websites, and platforms for malicious marketing purposes will face restrictions on profit-making privileges,” the statement said.

In March, the CAC launched a two-month campaign to purify the online environment, which focused on social media, short video platforms, and live-streaming platforms, targeting prominent issues such as the spreading of rumors, impersonation, and illegal profit-making by self-media accounts. 

As a result, platforms such as Weibo, Tencent, Douyin, and Kuaishou cleared more than 1.41 million items of irregular content and dealt with over 927,600 irregular accounts, of which over 66,000 were permanently shut down, according to the Xinhua News Agency.