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

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.

CAC and PSB asked the firms to to review their apps, making sure those comply with the country’s Cybersecurity Law, and tell the government of their plans to add new services that offer a channel for public opinion or are capable of “inciting the public to engage in specific activities”.

Deepfakes refer to manipulated videos, or other digital representations produced by sophisticated artificial intelligence, that yield fabricated images and audio that appear to be real. It can be used, for example, to overlay images of celebrity faces on other peoples’ bodies, fooling viewers. In 2019, China issued new rules to clamp down on use of the technology.

Social audio was popularised by voice-chat app Clubhouse, which was blocked in China after the proliferation of online discussions about sensitive political topics like the Hong Kong protests.

Many of the companies summoned by CAC and PSB are known to be developing Clubhouse-like apps for the domestic market, such as an updated MiTalk service from smartphone giant Xiaomi and Duihuaba from live-streaming company Inke.