China now prohibits social media influencers from talking about medicine, law, finance, education, and other sensitive topics, in a new law passed on October 25.
The regulation, issued by the Cyberspace Administration of China, requires social media influencers who post about sensitive topics to hold verifiable professional credentials, such as a degree, license, or certification, before they can legally publish content.
Platforms are now obligated to verify these credentials and to flag when content is dramatized, promotional, or artificial intelligence-generated.
Officials say the measure is meant to curb misinformation and protect the public from misleading health claims, financial schemes, and amateur legal or educational advice that circulate widely via live streams and short-form videos.
The law also bans covert advertising “disguised” as professional advice, especially in health and finance, and holds platforms like Douyin, Weibo, and Bilibili responsible to screen creators and posts more thoroughly.
Supporters argue that requiring subject-matter qualifications will improve the overall reliability of high-risk content on the Chinese internet and reduce harm caused by speculative or sponsored advice.
On the other hand, critics countered that the measure created a gatekeeping filter that could marginalize non-credentialed voices, limit critical commentary, or give regulators broad discretion to decide who is “qualified” to speak.
In practice, the law could pressure creators to produce proof of credentials, platforms to construct verification and monitoring systems at scale, and users to adjust to a filtered information environment with fewer informal or dissenting takes.
Similarly, in 2024, Spain introduced its ‘Influencer Law,’ requiring creators with over 1 million followers or earning more than €300,000 annually to follow stricter advertising guidelines.
Meanwhile, questions about China’s new law remain over whether alternative certifications count, how penalties will be applied, and whether creators will pivot to safer topics rather than endure the compliance regime.
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