Chinese Video Platform Deletes Over 30,000 Videos After Crackdown

[Len]

Popular Chinese short video platform Tik Tok started to clean up its archives from illegal content last month after local authorities launched a crackdown on video streaming firms.

Tik Tok, run by Bytedance Technology, deleted over 30,000 illegal entries in July and blocked almost 40,000 accounts to fight against "infringement and piracy," the Beijing-based firm said. Tik Tok will update its management tools and establish three measures to block minors from streaming, including verification with the user's real name, facial recognition, and manual review.

Chinese internet authorities launched a four-month clean-up focused on copyright violations last month. Indonesia banned Tik Tok in early July for containing “pornography, inappropriate content and blasphemy”.

Chinese short-video platforms have skyrocketed in popularity with their total market value nearly tripling last year to CNY5.7 billion (USD900 million), according to digital media data firm iResearch. Tik Tok leads the market with more than 150 million daily active viewers, equivalent to around one-fifth of the country's total internet users, while leaving rivals such as Tencent Holdings’ Kuaishou and Weishi behind.