Beijing sharpens focus on deepfake use, social audio apps as it pushes security review at Big Tech companies

  • Group of 11 major internet firms has been asked to perform a sweeping security assessment of their apps and services
  • China’s internet watchdog is closely monitoring the use of deepfake technology and social audio apps

The Chinese government is clamping down on the use of deepfake technology in the country’s major internet platforms. Photo: Shutterstock
Regulators are sharpening their focus on the use of deepfake technology and social audio apps in China, tightening Beijing’s grip on internet content, as they directed a group of Big Tech companies – including ByteDance, Alibaba Group Holding and Tencent Holdings – to conduct security reviews.
The instruction was given by internet watchdog the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) and the Public Security Bureau (PSB) during a recent meeting with 11 companies, which also included Xiaomi Corp, Kuaishou Technology and Inke, according to a statement by CAC on Thursday. It said the companies must submit the results of their review to the regulators.
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