Upgrades limit access to Chinese live-streaming, video sites over Tiananmen anniversary
- Platforms announce users will not be able to change profile photos, register new accounts or post real-time comments while systems are upgraded
- It’s unclear whether it is related to ramped up efforts to block discussion of the bloody crackdown on pro-democracy protesters 30 years ago
While it is unclear whether the limited access is related to the sensitive anniversary, it comes amid ramped up efforts by the Chinese authorities to block news or discussion of the bloody crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in 1989.
According to notices from the platforms, users will be restricted in what they can do on the sites during the upgrades, including being unable to change their profile photos, register new accounts or post danmu – real-time comments that flash up on a live stream or video.
Among them, popular video sharing site Bilibili, which has more than 100 million active users, announced on Wednesday that its real-time comment feature would be unavailable until June 6 due to system upgrades.
Other live-streaming sites including YY, Huya and Douyu have also issued notices in the past two days about system upgrades that will run until June 6 or June 7.