China To Boost Fight With 'Unhealthy Aesthetics' Linked To Internet Celebrities

BEIJING (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 24th November, 2021) The Chinese authorities are set to increase control over the internet by ensuring any information related to internet celebrities complies with strict moral and cultural standards, the Chinese Cyberspace Administration said on Tuesday.

According to the administration, the internet remains filled with "unhealthy aesthetics," vulgarity, and low culture, including scandalous gossip about the personal lives of celebrities, despite earlier measures adopted by the government. In this regard, the administration has introduced new control measures to create a "favorable and healthy network environment."

The measures include a ban on "unhealthy aesthetics" in materials about celebrities, as well as vulgar scandals, fake "sensational news," and manifestations of "fanatical worship." Besides, the government will boost the monitoring of public accounts of celebrities and their fan clubs.

The set of measures adopted in China over the past few months to establish a "healthy" internet and television culture includes a ban on the featuring of "effeminate men and other abnormal aesthetics," as well as popularization of ostentatious enjoyment of life, gossip and scandals, vulgar behavior, and negative phenomena that attract mass attention.

In late September, China's video game industry association combining over 200 companies, including industry giants Tencent and NetEase, pledged to follow the government's policy on the matter, in particular, banning "effeminate men" and other "inappropriate" content in video games.

Another direction of Chinese internet policy is the promotion of socialist values online and the building of a "civilized internet" through the popularization of websites, public accounts, and apps promoting socialist ideology.

Earlier this year, the authorities tightened control of underage internet users. Minors' access to online games is limited to three hours per week, while relevant authorities will enhance checks and control of companies engaged in the industry.