Conceptual diagram of AI Photo: VCG

The State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) and the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) have recently jointly issued measures for the supervision and administration of livestream e-commerce, which include bringing artificial intelligence (AI)-generated content such as digital human anchors under regulatory oversight, an official from the SAMR said on Wednesday.   

Zhu Jianqiao, director of the network supervision department of the SAMR, made the remarks during a press conference in Beijing. Zhu noted that the move is intended to prevent new technologies from becoming a "shield" for generating or disseminating false information, while promoting the standardized application of AI in the livestream e-commerce sector.

It explicitly stipulates that when using AI-generated human images or videos for livestream e-commerce activities, such content must be clearly labeled, and continuous reminders must be provided to consumers, Zhu said.

"Incorporating AI-generated content, such as digital human anchors, into regulatory oversight represents a key linkage between technological governance and ethical norms," Wang Peng, an associate researcher at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

By requiring clear labeling and continuous reminders, this approach not only prevents the risks of false advertising arising from the misuse of technology and protects consumers' rights to know, but also establishes safe boundaries for the innovative application of AI in livestream e-commerce, promoting the development of technology in a compliant and transparent direction, Wang added.

During the press conference, Zhu noted that the measures are intended to further clarify the legal responsibilities of all participating entities, strengthen the normalized regulation of livestream e-commerce, and effectively protect the legitimate rights and interests of consumers and business operators.

The measures further clarify the legal responsibilities of entities involved in livestream e-commerce — including livestream e-commerce platform operators, livestream room operators, livestream marketing personnel, and livestream marketing personnel service agencies — from the perspectives of ex ante, in-process, and ex post regulation.

In particular, a dedicated chapter specifies the responsibilities of livestream e-commerce platform operators in areas such as qualification verification, credit evaluation, handling of violations, and complaint mechanisms, thereby establishing a full-chain responsibility system, the official added.

During the press conference, Zhu said that the SAMR and CAC had rolled out a set of measures for the supervision and administration of online transaction platform rules, with the aim of regulating the formulation, modification, and implementation of online transaction platform rules, maintaining order in online transactions, and protecting the legitimate rights and interests of all parties involved in online transactions.

The measures explicitly prohibit the use of platform rules to impose unreasonable restrictions on the independent business activities of operators within the platform, or to charge unreasonable fees, unreasonable penalties for breach of contract, or damages. They also prohibit the use of platform rules to exclude or restrict consumer rights, or unreasonably increase consumer obligations, or engage in price discrimination through big data.

Wang noted that these measures focus on the pain points of imbalance in rights and responsibilities within the platform economy, promoting a shift in the formulation of platform rules from "unilateral control" to "bilateral fairness," thereby providing institutional safeguards for the protection of user rights and interests as well as fair market competition.

The Recommendations of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China for Formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development noted that "We should conduct sound regulation of the platform economy to promote its innovative and healthy development."

Wang said that the linkage between these two sets of measures covers the entire chain of content production, platform operations, and transaction rules, which will further provide rules for the healthy development of the platform economy and the digital economy.

"These measures will enhance consumer trust, compelling enterprises to focus on innovation and service quality, and ultimately driving the online transaction and livestream e-commerce markets toward greater standardization and sustainability," Wang noted, adding that the approach also provides a Chinese solution for global digital economy governance.