100 specific "red line" short videos in 21 categories ushered in new rules for review

Short video bloggers record videos on the snow. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Wu Zhuang

The procuratorate recorded a short video to publicize the law with real cases; doctors used short videos of popular science to correct "health rumors" in a few minutes... Short videos have been integrated into all aspects of people's daily lives, and how to effectively supervise them and avoid "barbaric growth" has become a mandatory question. The China Online Audiovisual Program Service Association recently issued the "Detailed Rules for the Standards for the Review of Online Short Video Content" (2021) (hereinafter referred to as the 2021 Edition of the "Detailed Rules"), which lists 100 specific "red lines" in 21 categories, providing a more intuitive and enforceable basis for platforms to review short videos.

Regulatory measures have evolved with the times

According to the 48th Statistical Report on the Development of China's Internet Network released by the China Internet Information Center, as of June 2021, the number of Internet users in China reached 1.011 billion, and the number of short video users was 888 million, accounting for 87.8% of the total Internet users. The data shows that in March 2021, the average daily use time of short video apps was 125 minutes.

Behind the rapid development of online short videos, various industry chaos cannot be ignored: short video infringement has become a new manifestation of intellectual property problems; unfiltered inferior content pollutes cyberspace; the trend of "traffic monetization" is prevalent, and bad advertising and marketing harm the interests of users. Relevant departments and short video platforms once lacked unified standards for reference when strengthening supervision and content review.

According to the China Online Audiovisual Program Service Association, since its release in early 2019, the Detailed Rules for The Standards for The Review of Online Short Video Content has become a basic system document for major online audiovisual platforms to strengthen the management of program content review. The 2021 edition of the Detailed Rules has comprehensively revised the 2019 Edition of the Detailed Rules and improved the original 100 standards of 21 categories with the times.

According to industry insiders' analysis, in view of the typical prominent problems such as the pan-entertainment, vulgar and vulgar kitsch of short videos that have attracted much public attention, as well as the deterioration of public opinion ecology by pan-entertainment, the use of minors to produce bad programs, the illegal dissemination of radio and television and online audio-visual program clips, and the unauthorized introduction and broadcast of overseas programs, the 2021 edition of the "Detailed Rules" provides more specific and clear work guidelines for the front-line reviewers of each short video platform.

"The promulgation of the 2021 edition of the Detailed Rules is necessary." Wu Qi, executive director of wuxi digital economy research institute, pointed out in an interview with this newspaper that on the one hand, as short videos have become the mainstream communication channel and an important way of communication, the excessive pursuit of traffic, pan-entertainment, piracy infringement and other industry chaos needs to be rectified urgently, which is an inevitable requirement for promoting the healthy and sustainable development of the short video industry. On the other hand, with the development of technology, new formats and models in the field of online short video have emerged in large numbers, and relevant regulatory standards must also adapt to the new needs of the development of industry norms.

The platform should be a good "gatekeeper"

Industry insiders believe that the 2021 version of the "Detailed Rules" provides a specific basis for online short video review. Article 54 stipulates that short video programs and other short video programs must not appear in the content of "showing the chaos of the 'rice circle' and bad fan culture, advocating the supremacy of hype traffic, deformed aesthetics, fanatical star chasing, irrational voices and responses of fans, and celebrity scandals". Experts pointed out that the content of this article cooperates with the special action of "'rice circle' chaos rectification" previously carried out by the Central Cyberspace Administration, and is a heavy blow to combat the chaos of "rice circle" in the field of short videos.

For copyright issues that have attracted much attention from the industry, article 93 of the 2021 edition of the Detailed Rules stipulates that short video programs and other short video programs shall not appear in the content of "unauthorized self-cutting and adaptation of movies, TV series, online film and television dramas and other audio-visual programs and fragments", which has aroused heated discussion in the industry. Young playwright and director Xiang Kai told this reporter that at present, some online short video platforms are still filled with a large number of suspected infringing short videos. Some so-called "creators" also make spoofs and vulgar interpretations of the original works in order to attract people's attention and chase traffic, causing harm to the content value of the original works. "Industry associations have issued strict review standards for this issue, and the film and television media community is happy to hear about it."

It is reported that the China Online Audiovisual Program Service Association has more than 700 member units, including mainstream media institutions, film and television program production companies, audio-visual program service agencies, etc., covering the entire industrial chain of the online audio-visual industry. The association pointed out that the promulgation of the 2021 edition of the "Detailed Rules" will further improve the basic control ability and level of short video platforms for online audio-visual programs, and promote the platform to be a good content "gatekeeper" and clear the online audio-visual space.

In Wu Qi's view, the 2021 edition of the "Detailed Rules", as a normative document for enhancing industry self-discipline, although it does not have legal coercive force, its main basis stems from relevant national laws and regulations, and involves the main institutions and units of the online audio-visual industry, which is still relatively binding. Under the current background of strengthening the governance of the digital economy, the 2021 edition of the Detailed Rules will strengthen the supervision of short video creators and related platforms, while better meeting the cultural needs of the people, promoting innovative business models in the short video industry and better serving economic and social development.

Attract high traffic with positive energy

The detailed rules of the audit standard have been introduced, and how to implement it is the key. The inherent characteristics of high dissemination, low threshold and quantification, fragmentation and convenience of short videos have brought difficulties to supervision. Experts pointed out that in addition to keeping pace with the times and innovating regulatory means and severely punishing violations of laws and regulations, it is more necessary for the relevant responsible entities involved in short video operations to take action and do a good job in corresponding review and guidance.

Looking at the "explosive" short videos that can spread rapidly in recent years: praise the "angels in white" who stuck to their posts during the epidemic prevention period, record the "most beautiful backs" of firefighters retrograde, sing the sincere affection and love of ordinary people, and share the small skills of life and work full of dry goods... Often attract high traffic with positive energy. Experts suggest that short video creators should consciously abide by laws and regulations and public morality and good customs, and be responsible for their own works; platforms should earnestly perform their main responsibilities, guide short video creators to comply with the industry, and create a good environment for the dissemination of excellent short video works; regulators should improve the policy and regulatory system of collaborative governance to create a healthy and rational online video ecology.

"To promote the healthy development of the short video market, we should pay attention to strengthening the balance between platform compliance supervision and promoting innovative development, and build a model of diversified collaborative governance of short video creators, relevant platforms, regulatory authorities and audiovisual audiences." Wu Qi said.

For the pain points and difficulties in the development of the copyright protection industry, some experts believe that it is not possible to "overturn a boat of people with one pole", blindly recognizing all film and television commentary short videos as infringement. "If it is not a simple cropping, but a second-degree creation based on the original work that injects one's own thoughts, it cannot be easily prohibited."

Hao Mingying, a postdoctoral fellow in intellectual property law at China University of Political Science and Law, believes that in the process of short video copyright governance, there should be a basic goal, that is, to curb the arbitrary growth of short video piracy through scientific and effective supervision and reasonable allocation of responsibilities. At the same time, it is necessary to consider leaving enough space for creation and promoting the healthy and effective development of the industry. In Xiang Kai's view, copyright protection still has a long way to go, and ultimately it needs to rely on the mandatory binding force of the law.

Source: People's Daily