Chinese social media platforms, including WeChat, Douyin (TikTok's domestic counterpart), Weibo, and RedNote, have implemented mandatory labeling systems for AI-generated content following new regulations that took effect on 1 September.

The law requires explicit and implicit labels for AI-generated text, images, audio, video and other virtual content.

Developed by the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) alongside three other government departments, the Measures for the Labelling of Artificial Intelligence Generated Content were issued on 7 March. The regulations mandate that all AI-generated content must display clearly visible tags to users, while digital watermarks embedded in metadata track content origins.

The new content labeling rules mandate that all AI-generated content posted on social media is tagged with explicit markings visible to users and requires that implicit identifiers, such as digital watermarks, are embedded in the content. Platforms must prevent users from removing or altering these labels, with creators required to voluntarily declare AI-generated material upon publication.

WeChat, boasting over 1.38 billion monthly active users, has issued strict compliance guidelines stating it "prohibits the deletion, tampering, forgery, or concealment of AI labels added by the platform, as well as the use of AI to produce or spread false information." Similar enforcement statements have been released by Weibo and Douyin, emphasizing creator responsibility and user reporting mechanisms.

Both regulations aim to address deepfake-related risks and ensure the authenticity and credibility of publicly available information. The initiative supports the CAC's broader Qinglang campaign, a multi-year transparency program designed to combat disinformation, fraud, and copyright infringement while protecting citizens from AI-generated deepfakes, online violence, cyberbullying, and child exploitation.

This comprehensive regulatory framework represents China's proactive approach to managing emerging AI technologies, establishing a precedent for digital content authenticity in an era of increasingly sophisticated artificial intelligence capabilities.

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