China says the rules for “deepfakes” will come into effect from January 10

China’s new rules for content providers changing facial and voice data will come into effect Jan. 10, the cyberspace regulator said, as it seeks to tighten scrutiny of so-called “deepfake” technology and services. Rules issued late Sunday by the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) protect individuals from impersonating without their consent through deepfakes — images that are virtually indistinguishable from the original and can easily be used for manipulation or misinformation .

The CAC said the move aims to curb risks that could arise from activities by such platforms that use deep learning or virtual reality to alter online content, what the regulator calls “deep synthesis service providers,” and also to promote the health of the industry development.

Last month the cyberspace regulator announced It would revise its rules requiring operators of online and social media accounts to step up their review and management of comments left on their pages.

The CAC had stated that account operators should establish and improve their systems for reviewing comments and be prepared to report illegal and unwanted information to the regulator.

Public account creators and operators providing follow-up comment services are also required to evaluate the credibility of account users who post these comments, set up management rights appropriately, and provide technical support, according to the statement. The regulator has not set penalties for rule violations.

In June, the CAC proposed an amendment to the existing rules, urging platforms to take action against public account holders who disseminate “illegal or harmful content,” such as by warning them or removing their posts, and to report such incidents to regulators punctual.

The announcement comes as Chinese authorities tighten their surveillance of the internet and what topics the public is allowed to discuss. Social media platforms such as WeChat and Weibo Block or delete posts and comments regularly. The changes to existing regulations will take effect from December 15, the regulator said at the time.

© Thomson Reuters 2022