Video platform hit with fine by Beijing cyberspace authorities

The Beijing cyberspace administration announced on Friday that the short-video platform Kuaishou has been fined 119.1 million yuan ($17.16 million) for recent legal violations. The investigation of the platform was prompted by a surge in the livestreaming of pornographic and vulgar content.

The investigation found that Kuaishou failed to meet its cybersecurity obligations, not promptly addressing system vulnerabilities and security risks, nor taking immediate action to halt the transmission of or remove illegal content posted by users. These lapses were considered severe and had a significantly negative impact, leading to the substantial fine imposed on the platform in accordance with the law, the administration said in a statement.

It emphasized its commitment to rigorously enforcing internet-related laws and regulations, vowing to crack down on various illegal activities. It has also urged online platforms to take their responsibilities seriously, ensure cybersecurity, protect public rights and interests, and maintain a clean and healthy digital environment.

In a public apology issued on Friday, Kuaishou said it has acknowledged its shortcomings in areas such as risk awareness, security infrastructure, emergency alerts and internal management, and that it has since taken proactive measures to address these issues.

The platform also stated that it has learned a valuable lesson from the incident and is committed to strengthening security measures while fostering development. It pledged to enhance its understanding of legal compliance in business operations, improve its long-term governance system, and fulfill its social responsibilities to deliver better services to its users.