The Chinese government controls an industry association that has created a list of subjects users should stay clear of on video-sharing platforms. Along with other traditional Chinese taboos like ridiculing the leadership and encouraging sectarianism or showing sex, crypto-related content now appears on this list.
Videos on Crypto Trading, Mining Banned In China
China Netcasting Services Association published recently a 100-point blacklist that prohibits online video sharing on Tiktok. Among them are the usual suspects like questioning China’s official history, imitating its political leaders, challenging the country’s guiding ideology of “socialism with Chinese characteristics,” and discussing fascism.
The “Online Short Video Content Review Standard Rules (2021)” document marks a number of other banned themes. The Register reports on a number of other prohibited themes, including drug abuse, gambling, crime, gangs and violence. Sexually explicit content, including that which promotes “non-mainstream views of marriage and love,” is also prohibited.
These topics were all part of its earlier version. However, it has now been updated to include cryptocurrency. Videos promoting decentralized digital money like bitcoin by “inducing and instigating the public to participate in virtual currency ‘mining’, trading, and speculation,” are now considered off-limits by the Chinese censors.
Authorities in the People’s Republic banned crypto-related activities such as digital currency trading and capital raising through coin offerings back in 2017. The government didn’t initially intervene in bitcoin mining until much later this year.
In May, the State Council, the cabinet of ministers in Beijing, decided to clamp down on the industry following President Xi Jinping’s pledge for China to achieve carbon neutrality in the next four decades. The government’s nationwide offensive caused miners to migrate to safer areas.
The CNSA ban applies to vids uploaded on platforms such as Douyin, Bytedance’s Chinese version of Tiktok, Kuaishou and other social media networks, messaging apps, and microblogging sites allowing short video-sharing like Wechat and Weibo.
The 98th position is taken by cryptocurrency, a brand new addition to blacklist. Entry number 100, reading in English: “Other violation of laws, regulations, social public order, and good customs,” could ostensibly be construed as effectively untying the hands of Chinese regulators to censor almost any clip published online.
What do you think of Chinese authorities imposing other restrictions online regarding crypto-related content. Comment below with your opinions.
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