Chinese social media apps held to same standards as e-commerce platforms under new draft regulation
- Social media platforms with e-commerce functions should be held to the same regulations as e-commerce platforms, according to a new draft regulation
- Live-streaming e-commerce is the fastest-growing area of China’s internet amid the pandemic, but its popularity is also attracting more regulatory scrutiny
“Social networks, live-streaming and other platforms that provide vendors with business space and support services related to completing transactions such as product browsing, order generation and online payment ... should perform the responsibilities of e-commerce platform operators in accordance to the law,” according to the draft regulation published by China’s State Administration of Market Regulation (SAMR) on Tuesday, which does not name any specific platforms.
These responsibilities include monitoring the qualifications of vendors and the quality of products on the platform, protecting of consumer rights and intellectual property rights, and providing data and information upon request by authorities, according to the document.
SAMR is now seeking public feedback on the draft regulation.