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China bans video and audio streaming on Sina Weibo and two other websites

China bans video and audio streaming on Sina Weibo and two other websites

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China is tightening its control over internet content. Yesterday, the government reportedly told three websites — Sina Weibo, iFeng, and ACFUN — to stop streaming video and audio content that apparently were “not in line with national audiovisual regulations and propagating negative speech,” according to the Financial Times.

All three sites lack a license to stream content, China’s State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television (SAPPRFT) says. The agency previously fined Tencent, which owns WeChat, for broadcasting political and social news without a proper license. Now, individual users have to apply for a license to stream.

The Financial Times points out that Sina Weibo invested in a video streaming site last November and counts on live stream advertisements to make money. Still, it faces government scrutiny, just like other platforms operating in China. Earlier this month, at least 60 social media accounts were shut down for spreading “vulgar content” and “negatively impacting society.”