China cracks down on AI deepfakes and clickbait cluttering WeChat, RedNote, Douyin

China is intensifying its efforts to combat the proliferation of low-quality AI-generated content on popular social media platforms, as part of a broader crackdown on the misuse of generative technology. The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) announced the removal of over 5.61 million pieces of harmful or illegal content, alongside the closure of approximately 49,000 accounts during a recent enforcement operation.

This campaign targeted major digital platforms such as Douyin, Kuaishou, RedNote, and WeChat, which are widely used across China.

The CAC's focus was on curbing AI-driven fake news, explicit and violent material, impersonation, and safety issues involving minors. Authorities expressed growing concerns over the ease with which sophisticated AI tools can create convincing deepfakes and clickbait content within seconds, thereby undermining existing moderation systems.

For instance, creators have been using AI to transform classic Chinese literature into sensational and low-quality "slop" to boost traffic, while other accounts have leveraged AI-generated "digital humans" and fabricated news stories to conduct deceptive marketing campaigns, particularly targeting elderly users.

In response, Chinese platform operators are reinforcing internal safeguards. Developers behind leading chatbots, including ByteDance's Doubao and Alibaba Group Holding's Qwen, have tightened their review processes for training data, imposed stricter bans on output, and introduced clearer labeling for synthetic content. Alibaba, which owns the South China Morning Post, is among the companies tightening their AI content moderation.

The Chinese authorities have pledged to remain vigilant against the risks associated with AI-generated and synthetic content, vowing to implement measures to prevent the "abuse and malicious use" of AI technology while simultaneously working to foster the responsible development of such innovations.