China acts to regulate influencer marketing

Li Jiaqi, a Chinese blogger, who endorses beauty products through livestreaming, applies lipstick during a live broadcast on the Taobao platform in Shanghai. Niu Jing / For China Daily

China has taken action to guarantee the quality of products sold online, especially through influencer marketing, Legal Daily reported on Nov. 8.

On Nov. 1, the National Radio and Television Administration issued a notice, ordering commercial livestreamers advertising products for the Double Eleven shopping festival to make sure that they only advertise quality products.

Influencer marketing has become an important strategy to boost online sales. Last year, online streaming embraced explosive growth, contributing 100 billion yuan in sales for e-commerce platforms.

However, alongside the business boom, some problems have surfaced, such as sub-standard products and poor after-sales services.

According to the notice, livestreamers should ensure that their content abides by advertising laws and regulations, guides viewers toward correct values, and does not fool or mislead consumers.

Liu Yuanju, a researcher at Shanghai-based SIFL Institute, said e-commerce platforms, as an important part of the business chain, should punish improper advertising by closing accounts of those who violate terms, launching an industry blacklist and reporting violations to the supervisory departments in a timely manner.