bodyType

customContents

entityId

printArticlePageQuery

filter

article

body

urlAlias

articleSectionsContent

articleSeoArticle

articleSourceHeaderArticle

contentSchemaRenderContent

contentSubHeadlineContent

contentHeadlineContent

mainImagePrintArticleArticle

authorBlockPrintArticleArticle

contentSponsorTagContent

articlePianoPaywallContent

scmpYoutubeContent

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

query printArticlePageQuery(
  $entityId: String!
  $customContents: [CustomContentInput]
  $bodyType: BodyFormatTypeEnum
) {
  article(filter: {entityId: $entityId}) {
    entityId
    body(customContents: $customContents, type: $bodyType) {
      json
    }
    urlAlias
    ...articleSectionsContent
    ...articleSeoArticle_3o8td4
    ...articleSourceHeaderArticle
    ...contentSchemaRenderContent
    ...contentSubHeadlineContent
    ...contentHeadlineContent
    ...mainImagePrintArticleArticle
    ...authorBlockPrintArticleArticle
    ...contentSponsorTagContent
    ...articlePianoPaywallContent
    ...scmpYoutubeContent
    ...hooksTrackPageViewArticle
    id
  }
}

fragment articlePianoPaywallContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksPaywallPromiseContent
}

fragment articleSectionsContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  sections {
    value {
      ...helpersCheckIfNewsSectionInFirstIndexSection
      ...entityLink
      name
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment articleSeoArticle_3o8td4 on Article {
  ...hooksArticleSeoArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersGetArticleTypeArticle
  entityId
  publishedDate
  updatedDate
  summary {
    text
  }
  subHeadline {
    text
  }
  body(customContents: $customContents, type: $bodyType) {
    text
  }
  keywords
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  topics {
    name
    entityId
    id
  }
  urlAlias
  authors {
    name
    id
  }
  images {
    style(filter: {style: "768x768"}) {
      url
    }
  }
  readingTime
}

fragment articleSourceHeaderArticle on Article {
  urlAlias
  ...entityLink
}

fragment authorBlockPrintArticleArticle on Article {
  ...defaultArticleDateContent
  ...authorNamesArticle
}

fragment authorNameAuthor on Author {
  ...entityLink
  name
  entityUuid
}

fragment authorNamesArticle on Article {
  authorLocations
  authors {
    entityId
    location
    ...authorNameAuthor
    id
  }
}

fragment blockquoteQuoteContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...contentShareWidgetContent
}

fragment checkersCheckContentContainsStarlingImageContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment contentHeadlineContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  headline
  socialHeadline
  ...contentHeadlineTagContent
  ...helpersUseContentSponsorContent
}

fragment contentHeadlineTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksContentHeadlineTagContent
}

fragment contentNewsletterWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    relatedNewsletters {
      ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
      id
    }
    id
  }
  sections {
    value {
      relatedNewsletters {
        ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
        id
      }
      id
    }
  }
  ... on Article {
    relatedNewsletters {
      ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment contentSchemaRenderContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...blockquoteQuoteContent
  ...imageContent
  ...inlineWidgetContent
  ...photoGalleryWidgetContent
  ...scmpYoutubeContent
}

fragment contentShareWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  urlAlias
  shortUrl
  socialHeadline
  headline
}

fragment contentSponsorTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...helpersUseContentSponsorContent
}

fragment contentSubHeadlineContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  subHeadline {
    json
  }
  summary {
    json
  }
  ...contentSchemaRenderContent
}

fragment defaultArticleDateContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksArticleDateUtilsContent
}

fragment entityLink on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  __typename
  entityId
  entityUuid
  urlAlias
  urlRedirect {
    toUrl
    id
  }
  application {
    entityId
    id
  }
  ... on Section {
    fullSectionPath {
      entityId
      id
    }
    parentSection
  }
  ...helpersAppBarVariantBase
  ...helpersApplicationBase
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusArticle
  ...helpersStyleSectionContent
}

fragment helpersAppBarVariantBase on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  ...helpersCheckIsLiveArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  ...helpersSectionContent
  ...helpersStyleSectionContent
}

fragment helpersApplicationBase on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusPage
}

fragment helpersCheckIfNewsSectionInFirstIndexSection on Section {
  name
}

fragment helpersCheckIsAmpEnabledArticle on Article {
  entityId
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  disableOffPlatformContent
  sponsorType
  published
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
}

fragment helpersCheckIsLiveArticle on Article {
  flattenTypeIds
  liveArticle {
    status
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsMainTopicContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPlusArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ... on Article {
    paywallTypes {
      entityUuid
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPlusPage on Page {
  urlAlias
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle on Article {
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle on Article {
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostiesPage on Page {
  urlAlias
}

fragment helpersCheckIsStyleArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersGetArticleTypeArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ... on Article {
    types {
      value {
        entityId
        id
      }
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter on Newsletter {
  entityId
  name
  alternativeName
  description {
    text
  }
  summary {
    text
  }
  homepageDescription {
    text
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizeArticleTypeEntityIdsArticle on Article {
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizeAuthorTypesArticle on Article {
  authors {
    types
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizedAuthorEntityIdsArticle on Article {
  authors {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersSectionContent on Section {
  fullSectionPath {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersStyleSectionContent on Section {
  fullSectionPath {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersUseContentSponsorContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    sponsor {
      ...sponsorTagSponsor
      name
      type
      id
    }
    id
  }
  ... on Article {
    sponsorType
  }
  ...helpersCheckIsMainTopicContent
}

fragment hooksArticleDateUtilsContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  createdDate
  publishedDate
  updatedDate
}

fragment hooksArticleSeoArticle on Article {
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  ...hooksContentHeadlineTagContent
  ...helpersCheckIsAmpEnabledArticle
  entityId
  headline
  socialHeadline
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  authors {
    entityId
    id
  }
  images {
    generic_og: style(filter: {style: "og_image_scmp_generic"}) {
      url
    }
    styles(filter: {styles: ["og_image_posties_article", "og_postmag", "og_image_style", "og_image_scmp_analysis", "og_image_scmp_explainer", "og_image_scmp_editorial", "og_image_scmp_fact_check", "og_image_scmp_debate", "og_image_scmp_live", "og_image_scmp_obituary", "og_image_scmp_opinion", "og_image_scmp_review", "og_image_scmp_series", "og_image_scmp_generic"]}) {
      url
      style
    }
    type
  }
  urlAlias
}

fragment hooksContentHeadlineTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  __typename
  ... on Article {
    types {
      value {
        name
        entityId
        description {
          text
        }
        id
      }
    }
    ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  }
  flag
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  ...hooksContentHelperContent
}

fragment hooksContentHelperContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...helpersSanitizeArticleTypeEntityIdsArticle
  ...helpersSanitizeAuthorTypesArticle
  ...helpersSanitizedAuthorEntityIdsArticle
  flag
}

fragment hooksPaywallPromiseContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
}

fragment hooksTrackPageViewArticle on Article {
  entityId
  publishedDate
  headline
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  urlAlias
  authors {
    name
    id
  }
  entityUuid
}

fragment imageContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  headline
  ...checkersCheckContentContainsStarlingImageContent
}

fragment inlineWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...contentNewsletterWidgetContent
}

fragment mainImagePrintArticleArticle on Article {
  images {
    title
    url
    isSlideshow
    size_652x446: style(filter: {style: "652x446"}) {
      url
    }
  }
}

fragment photoGalleryDialogContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  __typename
  ...contentShareWidgetContent
}

fragment photoGalleryWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...photoGalleryDialogContent
}

fragment scmpYoutubeContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  urlAlias
  publishedDate
}

fragment sponsorTagSponsor on Sponsor {
  name
  type
  images {
    url
  }
}


sections

types

disableOffPlatformContent

sponsorType

published

headline

socialHeadline

authors

images

publishedDate

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

keywords

topics

readingTime

authorLocations

entityUuid

Coco Feng

Tracy Qu

Zhou Xin

Beijing’s latest crackdown on Douyin, a popular short video sharing app run by Chinese internet giant ByteDance, is meant to send an important message to the country’s Big Tech companies that they must redouble efforts to toe the government line and censor any content deemed unhealthy, according to state media and government sources.
The National Office for the Fight Against Pornography and Illegal Publications, a government agency tasked with cleaning up China’s web, said on Friday that it fined Douyin the maximum penalty for spreading “obscene, pornographic and vulgar information”.
The regulator did not specify the amount of the fine slapped on ByteDance’s Chinese version of TikTok. But according to a source familiar with the case, it added up to only “tens of thousands of yuan”.
“The amount is tiny for a big company like ByteDance, but the message is clear that [the company] has to toe the line,” said the source, who requested anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to the media.

The official Xinhua news agency said in an editorial a few hours later that Douyin’s punishment was intended to send a “clear signal” to China’s internet companies that tighter regulations are on the way and “you have to follow the rules no matter who you are”.
“Douyin is not the first to be punished and it will not be the last,” according to the Xinhua editorial. “All internet platforms will be treated equally by regulators regardless of their size.”
The punishment by the anti-pornography agency, which answers directly to the ruling Communist Party’s propaganda authority, came as China’s leadership is trying to rein in the runaway development of large internet platforms.
Yuan Pingfang, deputy secretary-general of the internet culture committee of the China Culture Administration Association, said Douyin’s penalty sent a signal that strict internet regulation will be the new normal and platforms must treat content moderation as part of normal work.
Chinese authorities have tightened their grip on the internet and censored content deemed inappropriate, including pornography, gambling, fake news and political dissent in recent years. The efforts are likely to continue through 2021, when the ruling Communist Party will celebrate its 100th anniversary, a key milestone year in China’s development plan.


A two-day nationwide meeting by the Cyberspace Administration of China this week concluded that China’s internet regulators must “provide powerful online opinion support” to the country’s development in 2021.
Last month, Chinese regulators ordered video platform Bilibili to “rectify itself in a period of two weeks” and “comprehensively investigate” content such as pornography and vulgar material that violated laws and regulations.
US government appeals order blocking TikTok restrictions
In the third quarter of 2020, the cyberspace watchdog closed nearly 9,000 “illegal websites” and fined major platforms such as Weibo, Douban, Sohu and NetEase Music for behaviour that includes “not having fulfilled the obligation to manage information posted by users”.
ByteDance, a Beijing-based company founded by 37-year-old Zhang Yiming, has been severely punished by China’s content censors before. Its popular joke-sharing app, Neihan Duanzi, was shut down for good in April 2018 by China’s State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television for hosting “vulgar” and “improper” content.

Zhang issued a public “self-criticism” letter following the closure of Neihan Duanzi, an app with 200 million users, and hired an army of “moderators” to help censor content on other platforms.
Douyin, meanwhile, has thrived with 600 million daily active users by August 2020, meaning one out of two Chinese mobile phone users opens the app at least once a day. ByteDance has discussed listing the app in Hong Kong via an initial public offering, Reuters reported last October, citing sources.
The short video app is known to be strict in following China’s internet regulations – in November alone, it reported removing nearly 684,000 accounts due to their promotion of illegal or substandard products and taking down 8,700 accounts accused of promoting erotic, vulgar and fraudulent content during live-streaming.
ByteDance apps Toutiao, Douyin stickier than WeChat for Chinese users
China’s official media and government agencies are also thriving on the platform. For instance, the official Chinese Communist Party newspaper People’s Daily ﻿has 120 million followers on its official Douyin account.
Yet, according to the anti-pornography office, the platform’s content is still not clean enough. In the statement on Friday, the regulator said it received over 900 reports related to pornographic and vulgar content on Douyin last year – not a large number given that the app’s users had registered an average of 400 million video searches a day as of December 2020, according to a report released this week.

ByteDance did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the penalty.
The Beijing-based company’s in-house content moderation team is staffed by more than 20,000 people, according to tech media LatePost.
‘Obscene, pornographic, vulgar’: how Douyin fell foul of Chinese regulators
But Zhang Dingding, the former head of Beijing-based research firm Sootoo Institute, said that no single [internet] platform, including Twitter and Facebook, can assure “100 per cent” healthy content.
“ByteDance was punished not due to the lack of capability to perform its duty [of content moderation], but because it hasn’t done the work well enough within its reach,” Zhang said.


ByteDance’s Douyin ‘won’t be the last’ to be punished in China’s Big Tech crackdown, state media says

Short video app Douyin has been fined by a Chinese regulator for spreading ‘obscene, pornographic and vulgar information’. Photo: Reuters

Signage is displayed outside of Twitter headquarters in San Francisco, California, U.S., on Thursday, July 16, 2020. As Twitter Inc. grapples with the worst security breach in its 14-year history, it must now uncover whether its employees were victims of sophisticated phishing schemes or if they deliberately allowed hackers to access high-profile accounts. Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg

(FILES) In this file photo taken on July 08, 2020 The ByteDance logo is seen on the ByteDance headquarters building in Beijing on July 8, 2020. - Chinese internet giant ByteDance is in talks with the US about ways it might avoid having to sell its TikTok operations here, the Wall Street Journal reported on September 9, 2020. (Photo by GREG BAKER / AFP)

epa06143790 Icons of Chinese social media apps (L-R, bottom) Weibo, WeChat and Baidu are displayed on an iPhone in Beijing, China, 13 August 2017 (issued 14 August 2017). China is investigating its most prominent social media platforms Weibo, WeChat and Baidu Tieba for alleged violations of cyber security laws, according to media reports. EPA/HOW HWEE YOUNG

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China Business

Short video app Douyin has been fined for spreading ‘obscene, pornographic and vulgar information’
This is a ‘clear signal’ to China’s internet companies that tighter regulations are coming, state news agency Xinhua says


A fine on short video app Douyin for spreading ‘obscene, pornographic and vulgar information’ is a signal to China’s internet companies that tighter regulations are coming, state news agency Xinhua says.


ByteDance’s Douyin ‘won’t be the last’ to be punished in China’s Big Tech crackdown, state media says

Short video app Douyin has been fined for spreading ‘obscene, pornographic and vulgar information’ This is a ‘clear signal’ to China’s internet companies that tighter regulations are coming, state news agency Xinhua says

Short video app Douyin has been fined for spreading ‘obscene, pornographic and vulgar information’

This is a ‘clear signal’ to China’s internet companies that tighter regulations are coming, state news agency Xinhua says