A concept photo of cybersecurity Photo: VCG

China's top internet watchdog issued a comprehensive set of rules on Monday to tighten the management of tipping on live-streaming platforms, aiming to curb irrational spending, prevent the exploitation of minors, and promote a healthier online ecosystem.

The notice, released by the Office of the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission, outlines 11 specific requirements for website platforms that offer tipping features. The move comes amid growing public concern over inappropriate tipping behaviors, including the use of vulgar content and fake personas to manipulate viewers.

Under the new rules, platforms must disclose their tipping rules in a straightforward manner without hidden clauses. For users who wish to enable tipping on their live-streaming accounts, those with prior violations will have to wait three months after the penalty period ends before regaining tipping privileges. If an account is muted, its tipping function will be suspended for two to three times the duration of the mute period, according to the notice, which was posted on the website of the Office of the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission on Monday.

To promote rational spending, platforms are required to provide users with personalized tipping limits. First-time tippers must be offered the option to set per session and daily caps. Tipping reminder functions must be turned on by default, though users may adjust or disable them after confirmation.

The notice also bans platforms from publicly displaying users' consumption data, such as recharge and gift amounts, without consent. Rankings of streamers or users based solely on tipping volume are prohibited, as are interactive features that encourage tipping through cash-back schemes or self-tipping.

In a significant step for youth protection, the rules establish a tiered system based on age. Platforms are barred from offering tipping services to children under eight. For users aged eight to 16, parental consent is mandatory. For those aged 16 to 18, platforms must either obtain guardian approval or verify the user's income documents. If a minor is suspected of using an adult's account to tip, platforms must investigate and take immediate action.

Platforms are also required to maintain a negative list of tipping-related misconduct, enhance monitoring for abnormal tipping patterns, and establish robust complaint mechanisms. Refund disputes involving minors must be handled in a manner most favorable to the minor.

In response to questions, an official from the cyberspace administration's comprehensive governance bureau explained that the notice avoids a one-size-fits-all cap on tipping amounts. Instead, it emphasizes user empowerment through voluntary limits and reminders. The official noted that the rules build on past cleanup campaigns and aim to steer streamers away from "begging for tips" toward competing on content quality and talent.

Local internet regulators are responsible for enforcing the new measures and ensuring platform compliance through self-inspection and the regular disclosure of typical violations, and resolutely curbing industry malpractice, according to the notice.

The notice released on Monday follows a raft of government measures aimed at regulating the industry, which has seen explosive growth in the past few years.

According to a Xinhua News Agency report in December, 2025, government authorities have disposed over 73,000 non-compliant live-streaming rooms and over 24,000 accounts following a one-month-long crackdown campaign to regulate live-streaming tipping and rein in sexually suggestive group streams, deceptive online personas, inducement of minors and tactics that spur irrational spending.

Hong Yong, an expert with the Forum 50 for Digital-Real Economies Integration, told the Global Times on Monday that the rollout of the notice marked the governance on live-streaming has evolved into long-term supervision from random crackdowns.

Notably, the notice put in place certain requirement to platforms, which marks a step forward from the previous management of contents to the management of market entity behaviors, Hong said, noting that platforms may have to make adjustment in their business models and algorithms accordingly.

The new regulation will also help foster a shift by the industry to move from selling emotions to providing valuable contents and value, and promotes the sustainable development of the industry, Hong said.