ByteDance’s Douyin, the massively popular Chinese version of TikTok with over 600 million daily active users, is set to implement stricter controls on its advertisers. Starting Thursday, the platform will require advertisers who wish to promote short-form dramas to present official licensing documents. This move aligns with Beijing’s growing scrutiny over short video content.
The necessary documents for advertising include a “radio and television programme production and operations licence,” a “value-added telecoms business operations licence,” and either an “information network communications audiovisual licence” or an “internet culture operations licence.” These licences are issued after a rigorous screening by governmental content-control bodies, thus limiting promotional activities on Douyin to licensed institutions and effectively barring individuals and unlicensed studios from advertising their content.
Zhang Yi, the CEO of iiMedia, a Chinese market consultancy, notes that while this new regulation might pose challenges for many, it opens doors for those institutions that possess all three licences.
The surge in short web dramas in China highlights the growing popularity of this format. Data from DataWin reveals that the first half of the year saw the release of about 480 short web dramas, surpassing the total number released in the entire year of 2022.
ByteDance, the parent company of Douyin and TikTok, has experienced significant growth, reportedly reaching US$29 billion in revenues in the second quarter of 2023. This increase of 40% from the previous year positions ByteDance alongside China’s largest internet companies, surpassing even Tencent Holdings in sales. However, with its expanding influence comes heightened regulatory scrutiny.
This enhanced vetting by Douyin follows a recent announcement by China’s National Radio and Television Administration, which detailed plans to conduct extensive reviews of online short dramas, examining aspects such as cast, production, marketing, and social values.
TikTok, operating separately from Douyin, faces its own set of challenges internationally. In a recent effort to address concerns over antisemitism on the platform, TikTok executives and employees engaged in a video call with Jewish celebrities and content creators to discuss strategies for combating such issues on the platform. This meeting, as reported by The New York Times, reflects the global challenges that social media platforms face in regulating content and maintaining community standards.
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