On July 23, WeChat Video initiated a special action to crack down on “vulgar content” in group broadcasts, stating a policy of “zero tolerance” towards indecent behavior during live streaming, with severe offenders facing permanent bans. This move quickly sparked heated discussions in society, with many scholars and netizens questioning the platform’s ambiguous standards and strict control measures, reflecting further tightening of China’s online public opinion space.
According to a notice released by the WeChat Video Creation Safety Center on July 23, recent inspections found that some group broadcast accounts engaged in behaviors such as spanking buttocks, splashing water to wet the body, deliberately lifting legs, focusing on sensitive body parts, as well as wearing maid costumes, tearing stockings, and other behaviors with sexual connotations. These contents were deemed serious violations of the “WeChat Video Number Operation Regulations” and designated as key targets for rectification.
Zong Xuemin, a researcher in Chinese social issues (pseudonym), expressed in an interview with Epoch Times that such governance reflects the authorities’ attempt to unify thoughts and strictly control grassroots influence. He stated, “In recent years, the official requirement for party members and cadres to maintain consistency with the Party Central Committee has, in fact, extended to ordinary people, just without explicit proclamation. Platforms like group broadcasting have influenced the values and aesthetic judgments of young people, leading to a weakening of official propaganda discourse and thus increased control.”
Zong analyzed, “The real issue is not vulgarity, but the political system in China not allowing young people to express genuine emotions and personal lifestyles. Any content that becomes popular is easily labeled as ‘vulgar’ and prohibited, a trend seen since the Communist Party took power. This time WeChat Video took the lead, and other platforms are expected to quickly follow suit.”
This action has also sparked dissatisfaction and confusion among ordinary users. A netizen, Ms. Liu, questioned, “Why are the revealing videos from the West not banned, while normal videos of children swimming in a pool are considered inappropriate?” Another WeChat user, “Z Ru,” expressed, “I posted a video of my two-year-old’s birthday, and it was inexplicably labeled as ‘vulgar’.” User “Escaping Demon City” complained, “Even videos of a few months old babies swimming are considered violations, do babies need to wear long pants too?”
A netizen named “Mo Lao” commented, “My colleague retired and became a carpenter, and my post ‘the technician changed jobs’ was deemed as provocative, not regulating content but distorting culture.” Some users raised institutional doubts: “Isn’t the platform supposed to review the content before it is broadcast? If it passed the review, why punish afterward?” Another comment sarcastically noted, “If you have a dirty mind, everything you see will be dirty.”
A user claiming to be a group broadcast host, Shao Jun, also expressed discontent: “Interacting actions are meant to increase entertainment value, but now they are labeled as vulgar, giving no space for hosts. Where do we go from here?”
Apart from questioning content standards, many netizens are also concerned about the transparency of this action by the authorities. A user wrote, “What exactly constitutes ‘serious offenses’? Shouldn’t the platform provide clear standards instead of a blanket ban? They just shut it down without any room for appeal.”
Mr. Yang, who resides in Japan, told Epoch Times that while Western countries also regulate inappropriate content, they generally rely on platform self-regulation, user reports, and judicial intervention, with the government usually not directly interfering in matters of content standards. He stated, “The Chinese government always uses its power to prohibit public cultural entertainment and expression of thoughts, demonstrating a typical lack of trust and control. It is not about combating vulgarity but fearing the inability to control discourse domination and influence young minds.”
WeChat has stated that the special governance action will continue to advance, with a “zero tolerance” approach towards violating group broadcast content to “ensure a clean and upright platform.”
China’s online audiovisual industry has rapidly expanded in recent years, becoming an important platform for entrepreneurs and individual profits. According to the “China Online Audiovisual Development Research Report (2025),” as of December 2024, the number of online audiovisual users in China reached 1.091 billion, accounting for 98.4% of the total internet users.
Currently, there are over 750,000 registered online audiovisual-related companies on the Chinese mainland, with over 80% being micro-enterprises. Small and micro-platforms play a key role in job creation and driving local economies.
Some opinions believe that WeChat’s current governance action, while seemingly focused on vulgar content, actually reflects the authorities’ “sense of loss of control” over the online space. With traditional propaganda failing to effectively reach young audiences, group broadcasts, short videos, and other emerging forms are becoming the mainstream voices, leading to increasingly stringent regulatory measures. A netizen wrote, “Cracking down on vulgarity cannot be a reason to stifle expression; otherwise, in a clean and upright environment, only stagnant water remains.”