China fines Kuaishou, Weibo over content violations
A sign above an office of the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) is seen in Beijing, China July 8, 2021. PHOTO: REUTERS
China's top internet regulator issued warnings and imposed disciplinary measures against live-streaming platform Kuaishou and social media platform Weibo on Saturday, citing failures in content management.
The Cyberspace Administration of China said in two separate statements the actions to be taken include summoning company representatives, issuing official warnings and ordering rectifications within a specified time frame.
According to the CAC, both platforms failed to fulfill their core responsibility of content management, citing the frequent appearance of problematic entries on their main trending lists, particularly those hyping celebrity gossip and trivial personal updates.
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In separate statements posted on their respective platforms, Weibo and Kuaishou said they "take the matter very seriously", "sincerely accept" the criticism from authorities and have established special task forces to lead rectification efforts,
The CAC's announcement came a day after China's market watchdog launched an investigation into Kuaishou's e-commerce unit Kuaigou for suspected violations of the nation's e-commerce law.