Chinese video-sharing platform Bilibili cracks down on malicious content, banned behaviour spread by virtual live-streamers

Bilibili is targeting various pornographic content and other ‘malicious behaviour and remarks’, such as deliberately hyping up social issues

The firm’s latest initiative falls in line with Beijing’s policies to monitor, review and clean up online content in the world’s biggest internet market

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Bilibili had more than 32,000 virtual influencers conducting live-streaming sessions on the platform from June 2020 to May 2021, representing a 40 per cent year-on-year increase. Photo: Shutterstock

Published: 7:30pm, 22 Jul 2022

There is no escaping China’s tight live-streaming rules even if a programme’s host is a virtual character.

Popular video-sharing services provider Bilibili plans to clamp down on the activities of virtual live-streamers seeking to generate more user traffic with “malicious content that challenges good morals and public order”, according to an announcement published on the company’s website on Thursday.

Shanghai-based Bilibili said it will target various pornographic content and other “malicious behaviour and remarks”, such as deliberately hyping up social issues or conveying bad values.

The 13-year-old company, which initially gained popularity as China’s online home for fans of anime, comics and games, has a specific page on its website where virtual live-streamers are found. Users interact with these anime-like virtual idols by sending so-called bullet comments, a Bilibili feature that enables one-line text messages to float on screen and vie for viewers’ attention.

Bullet comments fill the screen of popular Bilibili virtual live-streamer Hiseki Erio, an idol with 481,000 fans on the platform as of February 16, 2022. Photo: Handout

Chen Rui, the chairman and chief executive of Bilibili, said in a speech in June last year that there were more than 32,000 virtual influencers conducting live-streaming sessions on the platform from June 2020 to May 2021, representing a 40 per cent year-on-year increase.